


Space Shenanigans

by weaponofmasscreation



Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: Cuties, Mentions of SteamWorld Heist, Multi, OCs - Freeform, Robots, Science Fiction, Space babs, cyborg, girls, scifi, space travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-23
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2018-08-16 21:19:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 31,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8117935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weaponofmasscreation/pseuds/weaponofmasscreation
Summary: Leo and Art, two girls travelling space with their rag-tag crew, meet their favourite band in a bar. Shenanigans ensue as they try to navigate celebrity crushes, relationships, and conflict from inside and out.(OCs from a sci-fi series I'm writing. Feedback is much appreciated!)





	1. Chapter 1

Space.

The final frontier. 

Even the wonders of galactic travel had the potential to be boring sometimes.

For two wannabe 'space pirates' stuck on a small scavenger ship with a grumpy robot and a sensible alien, with no sign of anything execpt stars for lightyears, this was one of those times.

Wrapped in blankets, staring out a narrow window, Leo cradled her mug of what passed for coffee and intently studied a constellation. Though she had seen it many times before in this part of space, it took great boredom to actually care enough to study the tiny points of light and commit them to memory. One day, she reflected, she would draw a starchart and sell it to NASA. 

"Can you not turn the heat up?"

She looked over her shoulder at the tall, slender figure who had just entered the room and smiled, beckoning them over. "Blankets are comfortable. Changing the temperature would be the logical thing to do."

"And you are not logical." 

"Exactly."

"And I suppose sitting on a chair instead of the floor is too logical for you as well."

"You know me so well." She opened one side of her blanket burrito. "Join me, oh great wise purple one."

He shook his head but scooched next to her with a small smile. "I can regulate my bodily temperature better than you."

"That's great, but my motives are purely selfish and you know it. Put those four arms to good use and hug me."

He slipped two arms behind her and pulled her close. "Like this?"

"Exactly like that." She pulled the blanket closed over them and rested her head on his shoulder. "So, whereabouts are we, and is there anything around? I'm bored to death."

He studied the stars outside for a moment. "We are in the Marhtis sector, which means we're near a wormhole that could take us closer to your planet if you so desired. An artificial asteroid belt is close by as well, populated by many different species who use the location for trade."

"That sounds pretty cool. Are they friendly?"

"From what i remember, yes. But there may be some hostility from the central hub, where there is a drinking place very open to mechanical beings and not many others."

Her eyes widened. "You're telling me there's a robot bar? An actual, real life ROBOT BAR?"

"With many customers who are suspicious of outsiders, yes. Many seek refuge there from SteamWorld, where the Red Queen's tyranny is legendary. You can expect them to be a little jumpy."

"Would they be suspicious of a harmless cyborg?" She raised her right arm, the bronze-like metal shining in the starlight.

"Harmless is not a word I would use to describe you." He smirked at her mock-offended expression. "But if you keep it on display, I think you may be safe. I cannot promise anything, though."

"You, sir, are incorrigible."

"You value my company, even so."

Leo eyed the purple, three-eyed, four-eared, lanky creature next to her and snuggled closer. "Yes, I do."

"You guys are gonna rot my teeth." 

They turned in unison to glare at the intruder, and Leo pulled a face. "Art, you are covered in oil and you've lost a shoe. You're hardly in a position to judge how we spend the mind-numbing hours between jobs."

"At least I'm not curled up on the floor when there's perfectly good bedrooms to make mischief in." 

"So why don't you use one? I'm sure Vlad would be happy to join you."

"Piss off. You know why I call him nuts."

"Meanwhile, I still haven't worked it out." A shiny metal face poked through the doorway. "You're a cruel organic lifeform. I don't know why I put up with you all."

"Cry me a river of oil, pretty boy. You can't take care of yourself and you know it."

"Ok, lovebirds, break it up." Leo tapped on the window to get their attention, then turned to her partner. "Dias, what do you think of a shore leave to the asteroid belt? We should stock up on dilithym and food while we can."

"As long as we're all careful and respectful."

"Sweet. I'll set the coordinates." She stood up and headed out, the others trailing behind her.

******

"Hey Art, did you know there's a robot bar on this asteroid belt?"

Art looked up from her task of cleaning Vlad's shoulder of leftover oil. "You're kidding."

Leo grinned at her from the controls. "Nope. I don't know if we can get you in, but we'll try."

"Like you don't have enough of my wonderful company every day," Vlad put in.

"Why do you think I want to go? It'll be a nice break from you."

"Aw, you love me."

She yanked lightly on his blue braid and dropped her oily cloth on his head. "Where do you get that idea?"

"Not the hair!" he whined, swiping the cloth off. "You're so disrespectful."

"You'll live."

Leo sighed. "Isn't there something useful you guys could be doing, like inventory? We want to do some trading while we're here."

"Already done," Dias answered for them as he entered the bridge. "I've sorted the items that might interest those trading here, so we're ready for landing."

"You..." Leo grabbed one of his hands and pulled him over. His lower left ear fluttered as she planted a quick kiss on his lips. "...are the best decision I ever made, you know that?"

"I... ah... I believe you may have mentioned it before..." He grinned bashfully and leaned towards her, only to avoid her upturned lips and make an adjustment to the controls behind her. "You'll have to move a little faster if we want to get there before the week is out."

"Oh..." She pulled a face at the unexpected missed kiss. "Thanks..."

He nodded and petted her long curls before wandering out, and Art snorted with suppressed giggles. "Your face! You thought he was gonna kiss you!"

"Shut up." Embarressed, Leo turned to the viewscreen and enlarged the 3D image of their destination- a rocky outcrop floating through space, emminating soft light. "Wouldn't it be great if they were here?"

"As if. What would they be doing in space?"

"I'm sure a bar full of robots would interest them."

"Yeah, but how would they know about it? And as talented as Mr Walter is, you can't run a spaceship on steam."

"It wouldn't run on steam, you nong, it would run on Blue Matter, and music, and hope."

"Are you going to explain what you're talking about or do i have to figure it out for myself?" asked Vlad, arms crossed and scowling as much as his face-plates would let him.

"Steam Powered Giraffe," the girls answered in unison.

Vlad groaned. "The tin men in tights you're always listening to? Give me a break."

Art stared at him. "You do realise you're a tin man, right? Or has the fact that you're made of metal escaped your mind? I mean it's not like I'm constantly oiling your joints or adjusting your servos every day while i listen to you whine and complain about your terrible life-"

"And they don't even wear tights!" Leo interrupted. "Well... one does. But that's not the point."

"The point is," Dias popped his head around the door, dreadlocks swinging, "you will lose if you start a fight about their favorite musical group. So don't even try, Vladmir. For your own sake."

Vlad turned away, muttering. "They're so stupid, though! Especially that silver one. He really gets on my nerves with that dramatically deep voice."

Leo's eyes widened as her friend cocked a fist. "Art, if you sprain your hand on him again i will lock you in the brig. I mean it."

Art looked over with big sad eyes. "I just wanna see if i can dent that face plate!"

"I swear i will turn this ship around."

"Fine." She turned around and headed out, but not before aiming a kick at Vlad's leg.

"Art!"

She shrugged. "I didn't sprain my hand."

Leo let her leave, shaking her head is disbelief. "One more word about the bots and you're in the airlock, pretty boy."

"Fine." He stomped out, rattling the floor of the bridge.

Leo laughed to herself. "They're so similar."

"I know." Dias leaned on the doorway. "Their time is coming."

"I just want to smoosh them together and tell them to kiss already. This is getting old."

"Patience, Leo. Everthing will work itself out in the end."

"I know." She glanced at the view screen again. "But a lot might happen between now and 'the end.'"

******

They flew on. Space stretched behind them in endless black as the asteroid belt grew nearer, and by the next morning they were in range of communication. Dias handled contacting the asteroid base for permission to land, and by the late afternoon, they could see the bustling community among the rocks from the windows. Hovercrafts zipped from rock to rock, larger ships were docked and secure. The SS Bob coasted along until two smaller ships appeared to guide them into an available landing.

After officials had inspected the ship and sighted their paperwork, the foursome exited the ship and took their first steps on solid ground in weeks. The artificial atmosphere smelled strange and the gravity was slightly different to the Bob's, but nothing could quell their excitement.

"So, we'll hang around for a few days and scope out the area, see the sights, that sort of thing. You can wander off if you like, but make sure not to aggravate the locals and try to be back by whenever the day cycle ends." Leo straightened her coat and took a deep breath. "Crew dismissed."

"You really enjoy pretending to know what you're doing, don't you?" Art grinned and turned on her heel. "I'm going this way. See you later."

"Make sure your phone is on!" Leo called after her, feeling around for her own mobile and tucking it safely in her coat pocket. She caught sight of Vlad, who was staring after Art with a sour expression. "Wow, you could at least try to hide it. You gonna follow her or go your own way?"

"I'm going... that way." He spun away and headed in the opposite direction. 

Leo chuckled and looked up at Dias. "What about you?"

He shrugged. "We should stick together if you want to know where you're going."

"Good point."

They headed off, kicking up dusy as they trudged across the rocky surface towards the hovercars.

******

Public transport on the asteroid belt was easy and comfortable, and Leo and Dias soon found themselves hopping from place to place using the free provisions. They got a few strange looks from others they encountered, but being a rare sighting didn't bother the couple. As the afternoon wore on, they finally neared the central hub, a bustling rock held together by long structures and tourism. Here they split up so that he could find the traders he knew would be interested in their hauls, Dias making Leo promise to meet him when the smaller stalls in the busy market started to close up shop. She nodded and watched him melt into the crowd easily despite his height, feeling the excitement blossom in her chest.

She wandered the precinct for a little while, window shopping for things she didn't recognize and enjoying the smells and sounds of an alien marketplace. She was suddenly glad to have dark skin and hair, as the monotone look wasn't as highly visible as poor Art and her paler skinned, teal-haired self would've been. Still, she had to ignore the blatant stares from people who had never seen a human before, glad for once that the translator chip she had had implanted in her head a long time ago didn't translate everything. She could already hear the whispers and didn't care to know exactly what they were saying about her.

So she wandered. And somewhere along the line, at the end of a busy lane, she caught a glimpse of shiny metal.

Leo's heart leapt in her chest. She had found the robots!

Rolling up her sleeves so that her bronze was showing, she followed the android at a distance. Colourful stalls and shopfronts began to melt away, replaced by industrial-looking areas. The crowds began to thin, and were joined by more and more metal- androids, cyborgs, small mechanical animals and other contraptions. Leo tried not to stare at anyone, but seeing so many artificial life forms in one place was almost too much for her excited heart to handle.

Industrial estates turned back into markets, but now they were different. Instead of food and clothing and trinkets, now she saw parts, oil, paint, and other necessary mechanical equipment and accessories. Various bots haggled prices, just like organics. They socialised and worked and played.

And then.

Just when she thought it couldn't get any better, she heard the tinkling of music.

Following her ears to a door tucked away in a wall, she opened it and slipped inside, to be blinded by bright lights. When her eyes had adjusted, a grin spread across her face as she took in the hoards of shiny figures drinking and laughing and singing around her. A bar was set up on one side of the room, takes and chairs were spread throughout, and a stage for entertainment was raised on the other side.

And then her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she saw three unmistakable faces in front of the audience. Pulling out her phone, she dialed a number and tried to steady her voice. 

"Hey Art, remember when you asked what the hell Steam Powered Giraffe would be doing in space? Well, the answer is pretty obvious now." She watched the automatons set up their instruments and straighten themselves out, to the cheering of everyone else. 

One of them waved cheerfully to the rowdy audience. "Hi, everyone!"

Leo felt her breath catch in excitement, almost not registering Art's response. 

"What are you talking about?"

"They'd be singing, of course. In a bar full of robots."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, robots like to tease. And hero worship makes people awkward.

"I... I don't understand..." Art's voice on the other end was shaky and unsure. "Are you saying that they're here?"

"Yes! They're right in front of me, about to play a song!" Leo moved out of the way as the door behind her opened and a few cyborgs pushed past her. "I don't know why, and i don't know how, but I think our dreams are coming true."

A deep breath crackled down the line. "Where are you? I'll meet you there."

"I'm in the central hub. I have to meet Dias soon so maybe I'll send him to get you. Talk later." The first openong notes of Clockwork Vaudeville were being strummed onstage, and Leo sighed with happiness as The Spine started to sing.

"When I was a young boy,  
I went down to the county fair..."

A new, pink-haired Rabbit followed him. "Grabbed myself a nickle, bought a pickle, had change to spare..."

"Thought I'd spend a cent or two to see what the robots could dooo..."

Leo spend the whole song mouthing the words and staring at Rabbit. It was her first time seeing the copper automaton with her new style, and she had to admit that the pink hair and porcelain face-plate was a far more flattering look than the red and black dreadlocks and oxidized copper that she had last seen her with on Youtube.

No, Leo thought quickly as Rabbit winked and giggled during the song. It was more than flattering. Somehow the bot had become more good-looking than her male chassis had been. The thought made her face burn, and Leo turned away as the song ended and headed outside again.

The lights had dimmed when she emerged, and most of the organic market stalls were closing. She broke into a jog when she realised that Dias was probably looking for her and that she had stayed longer than she thought. 

It took her a while to find him, waiting near the entry to the transport station, and she rushed up with hurried apologies. "I'm sorry, I didn't see the stalls because I found the bar and also I found my favorite band and I need you to go get Art and Vlad and bring them here-"

"You don't want to go back to the ship yet?"

"Well I mean if you need to get back I guess we can but I don't know how long they'll be here for and I don't want to miss this opportunity to see them live-"

He hushed her with a finger to her lips, chuckling. "Hey, hey, it's ok, I just meant that you told them to get back to the ship by about now, so they won't be expecting this. I can get them if you want me to, I don't mind."

"You're the best!" Leo drew him into a quick hug, then pulled out her phone. "I'll tell them to get ready. Call me when you get here and I'll come and get you. See you soon!" With that, she blew him a kiss and skipped away, calling Art again as she sped back the way she came.

"Hey, Dias is coming to get you. Is Vlad with you? Sweet, bring him. And you know those sleeves you made for your fanbot? Wear them. Ok. Ok. Cool." She neared the bar door and took a steadying breath as she heard the faint strains of 'Honeybee' from inside, then tucked her phone into her coat pocket and pulled the door open.

******

Leo had been a fan of Steam Powered Giraffe for a few years before she and Art had embarked on their travels through space. The girls had dreamed of meeting the bots for a long time, and the only con they had thought of in regards to leaving Earth was the disappointment of not being able to realise their dream. 

Now, Leo sat at the bar, cradling a glass of iced water, watching with starry eyes as her heroes played the music that had been a part of her life for a long time. The bar lights twinkled on their metal skins, creating a dreamy kaleidoscope of colours when she squinted. That is, when she wasn't staring at Rabbit. If questioned, she would've simply said that the new design interested her and THAT IS ALL, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? Luckily, the audience was captivated by the performers and paid no attention to the human among them.

After a long rendition of 'Electricity Is In My Soul', which had Leo crooning the last few lyrics along with them, the trio announced an intermission and the audience clapped, filling the bar with the sounds of metal on metal. Leo couldn't restrain a small "whoop!", which resulted in immediate embarressment that sent her hiding behind her long brown curls. A few bots looked around for the source of the noise, but quickly lost interest, and conversations took the place of music as the performers made their ways off the stage and sat down on one side of the bar.

Heart hammering, Leo glanced across the bar at the band, sitting only a few metres away, and tried not to draw attention to herself. They were right there- Hatchworth, The Spine, and Rabbit, her only celebrity crushes leftover from life on Earth. They were smiling and talking to others around them, and she was almost close enough to touch them. She was well aware that she was creepily staring, but couldn't bring herself to look away. Their smiles were so captivating, and Rabbit's new face-plates really were very pretty, especially with the pink lips and hair. Once or twice Leo thought she caught her eye, and she tried to shrink from view, hiding under her hair and long scarlet coat, even though she was sure she was just imagining it.

She forced herself to sip her water calmly, but accidentally brought it back to the table too hard and shattered it in her bronze fist. The smash prompted a short silence from those around her as she gasped whispered apologies to the 8-foot silver bartender and tried to help him clean up the mess. 

Glass disposed of, table wiped, and a new glass of water in her hand, Leo waited until the conversations around her started up again before looking up.

Straight into a pair of blue and green eyes.

She gasped and nearly fell backwards, but a strong hand shot out and caught her arm.

"Woah!" Rabbit laughed, gently pulling her upright. "Sorry, d-d-didn't mean to scare ya!"

Leo was sure she was dreaming now. How could this possibly be real? 

"Are you ok?" the porcelain bot asked, frowning a little. "Did you hurt yourself on the glass?"

"N-no..." She looked down at her glass, which was now also in danger of being squeezed to bits. She let it go and looked up at her idol, mind clouded by confusion. "I'm fine. I'm great. I'm just... um... I don't even... you... you're here..."

"...yes...?" Rabbit cocked her head, trying to process the unintelligible mutterings, before smiling and offering her hand. "Anyway, hi! I'm Rabbit! I was b-b-built back in 1897, back when it was illegal for women to read and write, and-"

"And all the men dressed like Mr Peanut," Leo finished for her, then clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh, sorry."

"You know us, then?" She laughed. "Was it you who yelled out when we finished before?"

"Um, yeah..." Leo shook her hand, trying not to let the nervous tremor show. "I'm Leo. From Earth. Big fan. Huge fan. I'm sorry, I just can't believe you're standing right in front of me... You look gorgeous, by the way..." She cringed at her own words. "God, as if this couldn't get any more awkward."

The robot giggled, a strange, mechanical sound. "Thank you! You're so sweet! I thought I could do with a bit of an upgrade, but I'm not to sure about it yet."

"Well, you look great. The pink is nicer than the dreds. Not to say you didn't look cool then, because you did, but, um..." Leo sighed. "I'm gonna stop talking now. I'm sure there's other, more articulate beings for you to talk to around here."

"Other, m-more articulate beings weren't staring at me creepily from across the bar." 

Leo's heart dropped to her stomach as her face burned. "Oh God. Y-You noticed. I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean- It's just I wasn't expecting-"

Rabbit was giggling again. "You're stuttering- are you nervous? It's ok, silly, I'm not mad. I think you're sweet!" She peered closer at Leo. "Aww, look, you're changing colour! I love how humans do that!"

"Now, Rabbit, you need to stop pestering the poor girl." The Spine laid a silver hand on his sister's shoulder. Leo was sure she was going to faint any minute as she stared up at the taller automaton. "Can't you see she's not feeling well?"

Hatchworth appeared on the other side of Rabbit. "Does she have a temperature?"

"Let me check." Rabbit reached over and brushed her hand against Leo's forehead, the metal cool against her skin. "She is a little hot. And so is her temperature." She winked at the human, who now had to hold onto the bar seat to stay upright in her shock.

"Rabbit!" The Spine admonished, "Now is not a good time for flirting."

"Oh, no, I-I don't mind..." Leo stammered, wide-eyed. "It's really ok. Also, it's great to meet you guys!"

"She's a fan from Earth!" Rabbit announced proudly.

The Spine offered his hand, which she took. "Pleased to meet you, Miss...?"

"Leo." She let Hatchworth take her other hand, which he shook enthusiasticly. "You guys are my favorite band and I really can't believe I'm meeting you right now!"

"Thank you very much, Miss Leo. We're flattered."

A vibration from her pocket broke up the moment, and Leo pulled out her phone. "I'm so sorry, I have to take this. Stick around for a little bit, ok? I have someone who'd like to meet you."

The Spine nodded. "Will do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flirty Rabbit is bae.
> 
> Next chapter will be in Art's POV.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nerves reach a higher level when silver is involved.

Art had been jiggling her leg out of nervousness for the last half hour, and she was sure Vlad was going to explode with irritation any minute. He had stopped grumbling about having to come along just ten minutes earlier, but this would probably set him off again. So even though she took delight in annoying the sensitive android, she reluctantly stilled her leg and started picking at her gloves instead.

The hovercar was quiet, purring along the belt from rock to rock, picking up and dropping off passengers. On her right was Dias, sitting relaxed and calm with his hands folded. She sometimes envied his naturally mellow personality, as he never seemed to get too worried about anything, even in the middle of a firefight. His level-headedness had probably saved their lives a few times. And he was pretty good-looking too, for an alien. Leo had certainly scored with that one.

On her left, Vlad sat ramrod straight, a permanent frown etched into his metal face. He had been pretty cheerful until she got the call that the band was in the belt and that they had to come immediately. It hadn't helped that she had nearly pulled off his arm and deafened him in her excitement at the news. But in her defense, she had been in space for a long time without access to any new material, and this experience was an unbelievable dream come true.

She was still a little dazed at the thought of her celebrity crush being HERE, in the middle of space, and the jitters didn't seem to be going away anytime soon. She was still having a little difficulty remembering to breathe, and it got worse the closer they got their destination. 

The car rocked a little as a passenger stepped out and the doors closed. "Next station- Central," announced the mechanical conductor. 

Art's leg started jiggling again, and Vlad glanced at her, annoyed. "Is it possible for you to be still for one second?"

"Is it possible for you to not be a jerk for one second?" she countered. "Please forgive me for being excited, I didn't realise you were so easily offended."

"What is there to be excited about?" The disgust was evident in his voice. "They're just robots like me. The only difference is, they sing. They're not funny, they're not talented, so I can't see the appeal."

"I can't talk to you." Art folded her arms and looked away. "I'm going to end up punching you in the face."

"That would hurt you more than me."

"It would be pretty satisfying, though."

He scoffed. "There's more satisfying things you could do to me than that."

"Yes, but fortunately for you, I don't feel like peeling back your plating and resetting your vocal assembly to speak Chinese right now." She knew that wasn't what he was referring to, but she always loved shutting down his attempts to flirt. And that one time she DID reset his vocal assembly was still the funniest thing she had ever done. His furious Chinese had kept her in stitches for hours. 

"You're either really stupid or really cruel and I haven't decided yet."

"Bite me, nuts."

He raised his eyebrows. "Is that an invitation?"

She made a face and turned away, hiding her smile with her hand. "Shove off, pervert. You're not helping." He actually was doing a good job of distracting her, but she wasn't about to tell him that.

"Aww, do you want to hold my hand instead?"

Before she could answer, the car stopped, and the destination was announced. Leo reached for Vlad, suddenly unable to breathe, as Dias stood and headed for the door. "Actually, yes."

"What?" Vlad stared at her. "Are you ok?"

"Take my hand, you pile of scrap, or I'll push you off the rock."

He wordlessly let her grab his hand, and they exited the hovercar.

******

After a quick call to Leo, the trio started walking through the marketplace, illuminated only by the stars beyond the force fields. Art still hadn't let go of Vlad, and she knew that Dias was probably going to have a lot to say about it to Leo later, but she was too nervous to care. 

She was going to see Steam Powered Giraffe. Up close. She might even be able to talk to them. Out of all the things she had been expecting when she left Earth, this was nowhere near any of them. It even ranked above being richer than their wildest dreams, which had actually happened for a short time.

"What would you prescribe for palpitations and butterflies, Dr Vlad?" she asked faintly.

"Turning around and going back home."

"But that would replace it with crushing disappointment and anger at the doctor who prescribed it."

He shrugged. "Have it your way. It's just my professional opinion."

"Well, it sucks." She shook her head at herself. "I'm sorry. I get mean when I'm nervous."

"Oh really? I hadn't noticed."

"Ah, Leo!" Dias called, waving.

Her red coat was easy to spot even in the dark, and Art dropped Vlad's hand and ran to her friend. "Leo, what the hell is going on?"

Leo laughed and pulled her friend into a quick hug. "We're meeting Steam Powered Giraffe, is what's going on! Now hurry, I don't know when they have to go back up."

"Wait, you mean you talked to them in intermission?" 

They broke into a run, following Leo through the marketplace and industrial estate. "Yeah, I nearly died but Rabbit talked to me first and she is the most amazing thing and she's all pink and white now, and her voice is adorable and she's so friendly. And the others came over and thought i was sick and they're just-" she skidded to a stop near a door, the others crashing into her. "They're just so amazing. Ok let's go. I told them you wanted to meet them."

"Wait!" Art's butterflies had doubled in number during the journey and she felt light-headed. "I think I'm going to faint..."

"You'll be fine. You can't miss this!"

She steadied herself on Vlad's shoulder. "I don't think I can do it, man..."

"Art-"

"Great." Vlad smiled and folded his arms, looking smug. "I guess we can go home now, right? If you're not going to go in and meet the dumb musical robots, there's no point in sticking around."

Art knew he was playing her, but it worked all the same. She took a deep breath and nodded. "Fine. Ok. Let's go."

Leo pushed open the door and let them all inside, nodding her thanks to Vlad on the way in. They followed behind her, blinking in the yellow light as she weaved between tables to the bar, where Art immediately recognized the bots and nearly turned and left. Vlad was blocking her way out and he didn't seem to be letting her leave anytime soon, so she forced her feet to take her forward and stopped behind Leo, who was tapping who she assumed was rhe new 'pink and white' Rabbit on the shoulder.

The automaton turned and smiled brightly. "You're back!"

Leo grinned back. "I've brought my friend. She's been dying to meet you all!"

"Oh?" Rabbit waved at Art. "Hi! I'm Rabbit! I was made in 1896, back when it was illegal for women to read and write-"

"And all the men dressed like Mr Peanut." Art couldn't help herself- she had heard that line so many times, not to mention all the times she and Leo had quoted it for fun.  
She watched in surprise as Leo and Rabbit exchanged a look and then burst into giggles. "What?"

"That's exactly what I did!" Leo shook her head, still chuckling. "I'm sorry Rabbit, we're both a little crazy."

The copper bot shrugged. "Aren't we all? Except The Spine- he's boringly sane most of the time."

"What's that you're saying about me?" The Spine looked over from where he was talking and smiled. "Miss Leo! Hello again!"

"Hi, Spine!" Leo reached behind her and pulled Art in front of her. "This is Art. She's a huge fan of you in particular."

"Leo!" Art's face burned, and her stomach did a few backflips at the sight of The Spine's friendly smile. It was true, but she didn't want it announced to everyone within hearing distance. Especially to the robot himself.

"Sorry. I should let you two get aquainted." She pushed Art forward a little and stepped back, beckoning to Rabbit and Hatchworth. "I'd like you guys to meet my other friends."

Art watched helplessly as Leo introduced Vlad and Dias to the other bots, leaving her alone with The Spine. The churning in her gut was stronger now, and as she stared up at her crush's kind silver face, she desperately hoped that she wouldn't throw up from the nerves.

She also hoped her face wasn't as red as it felt.

"Well, anyway, I'm The Spine." He held out a hand. "I'm happy to meet another fan, Miss-?"

"Art," she croaked, to her horror, and gave him her shaky hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Art." He gave a small smile and pressed a kiss to her hand.

Art's heart jumped and so did her stomach. With a gasp, she covered her mouth and wrenched her habd out of his. "I'm sorry, I have to go-"

But it was too late.

She threw up all over his shoes while he was still asking what was wrong.

They stood there for a moment, staring at his shoes, then at each other. Art's nerves were replaced with mortification so strong it brought tears to her eyes, and with a sob, she turned and ran, pushing past the androids and cyborgs and slipping through the door into the cool night air.

******

The Spine snapped out of his shock and accepted the cloth that the bartender sympatheticly offered him, making quick work of the mess. When he rose again, Leo was apologizing profusely to the others before following her friend out the door.

"What did you do to her?" Hatchworth asked accusingly.

"Nothing!" He shrugged helplessly as the alien and robot left with them both glared and followed their friends out of the bar. "I simply introduced myself!"

"I've heard of humans doing that when they're nervous." Rabbit pouted as the stage manager beckoned to them from the back, signaling that it was time to finish their performance. "You're a real dummins, The Spine. They probably won't come back now."

"But... I didn't do anything..." He hoped his sister was wrong. It would be a shame to never see the humans again before they returned to Earth. Much subdued, he joined him siblings onstage and greeted the audience, hoping he would get to see the girl again and apologize for making her ill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was interesting.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Art is a silly girl sometimes. But she doesn't do this too often. Hopefully she won't regret it.

She wasn't sure of when she had woken up, but Art could hear voices somewhere on the ship. Many voices. Some were unfamiliar. She didn't want to investigate, too warm and comfortable in her bed to really care about visitors. Leo was Captain, after all. She could take care of it. 

She tried to bury herself under the covers and ignore the world, but a pang of hunger forced her up. Rubbing her eyes, she tried to remember why the inside of her mouth was fuzzy and sour. Hadn't she brushed her teeth?

She caught a glimpse of her silver gloves lying on the floor, and her eyes widened as she started to recall everything from the night before.

Had she really thrown up on The Spine, her celebrity crush for many years?

She could still remember the look on his face. He must've thought she was disgusting. How could she ever go back to that bar? How could she even look at them the same way now that she made such a fool of herself in front of them?

She gritted her teeth and forced herself out of bed, trying not to think about it anymore. She was hungry; best take care of that first.

She stumbled out of her quarters and down the hall, fingers dragging along the wall. Finding the kitchen was easy to do with her eyes closed. It wasn't until she had felt her way across the ship, into the kitchen and was rummaging in the fridge that she opened them again.

She turned with her hands full of some exotic fruit that Dias has picked up for them the other week and nearly dropped them. Leo- with her hair up and wearing her official 'Captain coat'- and three unidentifiable aliens in pale blue were staring at her, and the aliens were ready to draw their weapons.

"Sirs," Leo said carefully, "this is my engineer, Art. She looks after general maintenance and hold the position of third in command."

Art bowed, holding the fruit close to her chest. "Nice to meet you, er... sirs...?" Only then did she realise that she was still in her tank top and underwear.

They nodded at her and visibly relaxed. "You have been scanned and recorded already, yes?"

"Yeah, at the transport station."

"All our crew has." Leo motioned for them to move on. "If that was everything you wanted from the kitchen...?"

"Yes. We will move on."

Leo led them out the door, and Art pulled herself onto the bench and began to eat her fruit.

******

At some point during her quiet breakfast, Vlad wandered in for a bottle of water.

"You're awake!" The shiny silver-and-copper bot seemed to surprised to see her. "How are you feeling?"

"Physically, I'm fine. Mentally, I'm trying not to melt into a puddle of shame and regret." She reached over to straighten his wig- it was deep red today. "Nice wig."

"Oh... th-thank you." He seemed extremely taken aback. "Are you sure you don't want something for the nausea?"

"It was just nerves, Doc. I'm fine now, besides the extreme humiliation."

"Okay. That's something I can't fix, unfortunately. Take it easy, alright?"

"Sure." She scrutinized him as he left the room, confused. He was rarely this normal, usually preferring to either flirt or make fun of her. She supposed she should make the best of it while she could, but it was strange and unfamiliar.

Her musings were interrupted by Leo's bushy head poking through the doorway. "Having fun there?" 

Art threw a fruit skin at her. "Oodles."

Leo joined her on the bench- now in only her pajamas- and stole a fruit off her. "So, care to explain what happened last night?"

"If you explain who the strangers were."

"Oh, sure. Central security. They wanted a full inspection."

"Didn't we get one when we landed?"

"We visited the Hub, so they needed a more detailed examination to make sure we're not terrorists or spies from SteamWorld. It's standard procedure. So, last night?"

"I freaked." Art sighed and rubbed her face. "I got so worked up in all the excitement that I guess I couldn't handle it."

"I understand."

"Leo..." she groaned and buried her face in her hands. "I puked on his shoes. On his SHOES. I threw up. On The Spine. Leo. Do you understand? Really?"

"Well... I haven't personality experienced it, but I do understand that you're embarressed and angry at yourself." Leo smoothed her friend's hair down and hugged her tightly. "But he's the loveliest robot we know. He won't resent you for this. Go back tonight and see for yourself."

"Go back? I can't go back to that place! They've gotta know I'm not one of them!"

"So? I'm going. They won't hurt you if you have 'one of them' with you."

She couldn't go back. Not ever. Not when she had thrown up on The Spine himself and revealed to the whole bar that she wasn't actually mechanical. 

"Please come with me. It'll be fun!" Leo pleaded.

No way. "I'll think about it."

Her friend smiled and jumped down from the bench. "Sweet. Are you going to join the trading today?"

"No, I think I might rest today. Vlad was complaining of a stiff ankle the other day. And I have to tune up the engine while it's idle."

"Sure..." Art could tell that Leo didn't believe her. They had known each other for too long for Leo to believe that she would be doing anything besides sleeping. "Have fun with that. I won't be back till late, so don't wait up."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Art stretched and sighed. "See you later."

Leo left with a final salute, and Art finished her fruit, wandering if there Vlad had any equivalent for sleeping pills. Being unconscious all day sounded ideal.

******

Even without medical help, which the robot had of course refused to give her, Art slept for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. When she finally awoke, bleary eyed and stiff-limbed, she couldn't even remember what sector they were in.

A hot shower helped a little, and if not for the fear of running out of water before it could be filtered again, she could have stayed in there indefinitely. More food helped a little more, and after finally deciding to get dressed, Art felt almost human again. 

The ship was eerily quiet without the sound of the engine and Leo and Dias' constant flirting. Art hummed to herself as she wandered the halls, checking the engine room and power cells just so she could say she had been there.

Leo's bedroom promised more diversions. She had installed the extra speakers and projector screens to 'make it more cosy', but Art wasn't quite sure how the extra tech accomplished 'coziness'. As she spotted some of Dias' belongings in the corner, she wasn't sure she wanted to know either. Makeup, however, arrested her attention. She didn't usually wear it, but Leo had collected different products from the races they encountered and had a substantial collection spread over her bedside table.

With nothing else to occupy her hours, Art started decorating her face, and soon found herself engrossed in getting the perfect winged eyeliner with a strange tar-like substance Leo had filled her eyeliner pot with. 

Some time later, satisfied with her makeup and ready for more diversions, Art was struck with another brilliant idea. Finding the intercom on Leo's wall, she paged the med-bay.

"Hey Vlad... remember the wine you brought on board that one time?"

******

That evening, as the lights were dimming inside the artificial atmosphere of the belt, Art found herself on a transport shuttle heading straight for central hub. She wasn't drunk enough to forget why she hadn't wanted to go tonight, but it was enough to make her realize she didn't care. The fuzzy feeling suited her just fine, and the excitement of going back overruled her nervousness of going alone. It would be fine. She was going to see The Spine, and that was all that mattered.

It was a miracle that she managed to find the bar at all in her state, but she did. Stepping through the door, she shielded her eyes from the electric lights and looked around for familiar faces. 

She saw Dias first, his height and coloring being an advantage, and with him was Hatchworth, who by his gestures looked like he was telling a story. Nearby were the other bots and Leo, who looked completely starstruck as they took turns telling their own stories. Now slightly jealous of her ability to hold their attention, Art took a deep breath and pushed through the variety of mechanical beings who were hanging around the bar. 

The alcohol had made her bold, but her heart still hammered as she tapped the Spine on the shoulder, interrupting the conversation. He turned and his face lit up with a surprised but pleased expression. 

"Miss Art! You came back!"

Leo smiled at her friend. "So you decided to come after all!"

"I wasn't going to, but I figured I had to apologize for last night." Art's voice sounded loud, even to her own ears. "And also, I couldn't miss out on the chance to meet you properly. So, hi." She stuck out her hand, which he readily shook. "I'm Art, and I'm sorry for throwing up on you yesterday. I was really nervous because I've liked you for a long time and I guess my stomach couldn't handle the excitement."

"It's ok." The robot didn't seem to harbor any bad feelings for her. "It's just nice to meet a fan! And there's no need to be nervous. I wasn't designed to judge."

"Oh, that's great to know!" Art laughed with relief, resisting the urge to throw her arms around him. Leo had been right- he really was the loveliest robot they knew. "Have you been in space long?"

"Well, we're on our way back to Earth, but we wanted to stop in to play for the robots here..."

******

Leo and Rabbit watched Art and The Spine chat, both of them noticing Art's strangely outgoing attitude.

Rabbit turned to Leo "Is she...?"

"She is." Leo giggled. "She's drunk. She's never like this usually."

The copper bot smirked. "I guess it's for the best, as long as there's not a repeat of last night."

"That would be preferable." Leo turned away from the others and changed the subject. "So, you were saying about the nebula...?"

******

Standing in the doorway, the lights glinting off his face-plates, Vlad watched Art talk and laugh with the taller robot with a mixture of relief and annoyance. He hadn't wanted to leave the ship at all, let alone come to the bar and see those laughable singing automatons, but as ship's doctor he had felt that it was his duty to follow Art to make sure she didn't get into trouble while under the influence. Also, there was the small matter of being the one who provided the alcohol in the first place, which added to his responsibility. He hadn't wanted to, but Art was very... persuasive... when she wanted to be.

Now, it was obvious Art was going to be fine. Vlad felt the tiniest urge to stay and keep an eye on her, but he quickly crushed it with the temptation of a quiet ship and some needed shut-down time. So he slipped out and headed back, leaving his crew members to fraternize with the other mechanicals and trying not feel the slightest bit jealous of their fun.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, in a distant land where it's OK to flirt with someone else...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is pure wish-fulfillment oh gosh I'm sorry.

The night was young, the atmosphere was lively, and the company was ideal. As robots and cyborgs talked, laughed and drank, a human relaxed with her new automaton friends.

 

It had been a tiring day of trading in the marketplace, especially considering the slightly longer day cycles kept on the belt. Leo had been itching to get back to the bar, desperately hoping that the band would still be there. At long last, with a satisfying amount of goods in tow, the couple made their way into the mechanical section of the Hub as the light started to dim. And she hadn't been disppointed- there they had been, singing all her old favourites onstage.

 

Leo had felt a little strange, bringing Dias along. Not only because it really wasn't his scene, but also... because of Rabbit. She knew it was stupid, worrying about her interactions with the bot in front of- for lack of a better term- her boyfriend. Talking to celebrities was hardly something to weaken a relationship, and Dias was so laid back that she knew he wouldn't really care. But it was hard not to feel guilty when she found herself giving all her attention to Rabbit instead of the person she brought along.

 

Even so, Dias didn't seem to be worried. He listened to the music quite happily, laughing as Leo sang along, and when the band decided to take a break and come and talk to them, he was respectful and friendly. There were no signs of jealousy or annoyance, and Leo gradually let herself relax- well, as much as she could under the circumstances. She was still psyched about the fact that she was actually talking to Steam Powered Giraffe, to the point where sometimes she wondered if this whole experience was just a dream, concocted out of boredom while floating through space.

 

The night wore on. Dias and Hatchworth separated from the group to talk about fuel efficiency in spaceships versus robots, and were joined by a few others who overheard the conversation and had their own ideas. Leo listened to Rabbit and The Spine's tales of adventure and mayhem during their journeys through space, and had to pinch herself a few times to remind herself that this was reality. Then Art appeared unexpectedly, directing The Spine's attention away with her apologies and unusual eagerness. Leo wasn't upset at that- she was glad that there was no throwing up involved this time. And now, she had Rabbit to herself.

 

They laughed at Art's changed behaviour and she nervously prompted Rabbit to finish the story. As the robot eagerly recalled nebulas and aliens and an accidental firefight, Leo found herself unwittingly zoning out as she watched the way her faceplates moved as she talked. She studied the familiar blue and green eyes, now framed by long lashes, and smiled to herself as they fluttered and twinkled. It wasn't until she was wondering whether her lips were painted or lipsticked that she realised Rabbit had finished the story and was waiting for some kind of acknowledgement.

 

"No way! That's so cool!" she exclaimed, hoping that this answer was acceptable.

 

No such luck. Rabbit laughed gleefully. "You weren't even paying attention. Shame on you!"

 

"I'm so sorry..." Leo groaned, fighting the urge to full her long curls in front of her face and hide forever. "I got distracted."

 

"I could tell." She winked playfully. "At least I know you were still focused on me."

 

Well, that was true. "I didn't mean to, it's just that I'm not completely used to your style yet."

 

"Oh..." She looked thoughtful. "Honestly, neither am I. Turns out it takes a while to get used to these things. But tell me..." Rabbit leaned forward conspiratorially. "As one girl to another... Am I pretty?"

 

"Of course!" Leo paused to reflect on how quickly her answer came and wondered whether she should be worried about it. "I mean... Yes. You're very pretty. Who designed your faceplates?"

 

"Pappy, mostly. That's Peter the first. We found the old ones and Peter Six and I tweaked them a little. You don't think they're too intense?"

 

"Well, after all the copper from before... No. I think you're perfect."

 

If it was possible for porcelain to grow dimples, Rabbit's would be full of them. Her smile was bright and happy from the compliments. "Why thank you! I mean I only asked because I knew you would tell me I'm pretty, and I like attention according to my brothers, but thanks all the same."

 

Am I that easy to read? Leo wondered, heat creeping over her face. "I only said it 'cause it's true."

 

The bot chuckled. "I should keep you around for the ego boost." 

 

She leaned on the bar, smiling. "Is that really all I'm good for?"

 

Rabbit raised her eyebrows. "I don't know, is it?"

 

"Well-"

 

They were interrupted by Hatchworth, who tapped his sister on the shoulder and tipped his hat to Leo. "So sorry to interrupt, but we are expected onstage."

 

"Ahh, time to go. Stick around this time, OK"?

 

"There's no place I'd rather be." Leo cringed at her cheesy answer. "I mean, sure. Can't wait."

 

Rabbit moved away with a wave and a grin, and Leo watched as Art beckoned The Spine closer to whisper in his ear before he smiled and headed onstage as well. Her friend was glowing, though whether it was from the excitement, the lights or the alcohol she had consumed beforehand, it was hard to tell. 

 

Art leaned on the bar and sighed happily as they watched the band set up their instruments. "I hope to God this isn't a dream."

 

"I know, right? I've been thinking that all night."

 

"I bet you were." She nudged her, smirking mischievously. "You two were flirting up a storm over there."

 

"We were not!" Leo couldn't stop her face from heating up. She glanced quickly at Dias, standing on the other side of Art, relieved that he didn't appear to be listening. "Anyway, how would you know? You seemed to be getting pretty cosy yourself."

 

"A fact I admit to with pride. And a little disbelief."

 

She shook her head, her interest suddenly piqued as The Spine conferred with Rabbit onstage, briefly gesturing in their general direction. "What was all that whispering about?"

 

"Oh, you'll see."

 

Leo raised her eyebrows. "What's THAT supposed to mean?"

 

"I said what I meant and I meant what I said." 

 

"Smeghead."

 

"You won't be saying that soon."

 

"Ugh." Leo gave up and sat back in her chair, watching as The Spine started to address the audience.

 

"So, how many tonight have seen us performing on SteamWorld?"

 

There were a few cautious cheers.

 

"It good to see you again, then. We're going to play a song you may remember pretty well."

 

The opening chords were struck, but neither Leo nor Art recognised them. It seemed the audience did, though. They cheered and laughed when they realised they knew the song, and sang along with the band.

 

"No more rules, no more fools Everybody scream NO MORE QUEEN!

 

Well Piper’s got a shot, so ready or not We will play the game But you will fear our names!"

 

The tune was simple to follow, and the lyrics easy to pick up, and pretty soon the girls had joined the audience of shouting robots and cyborgs in the aggressive song. By the end of the song, the singing was deafening. Leo was out of breath by the time it was finished, but she clapped and cheered enthusiastically with everyone else.

 

And then Rabbit took centre stage, and Art folded her arms and nodded to Leo. "Here we go."

 

"What-?"

 

"Thanks for your enthusiasm, friends! I guess you enjoyed that!" Rabbit waited for the audience to die down again. "I'd like to dedicate this next song to a friend in the audience."

 

The opening chords started, and Leo grabbed Art's arm as she recognised the tune. "Art, what did you do?"

 

"I told them this is your favourite song. Which is true."

 

"But a dedication?"

 

"Shhh! I thought you'd like it!"

 

Leo let out a deep breath and faced the stage as Rabbit started to sing.

 

"I only saw her once

But that was all I needed

And now I know she's what

I've been looking for

And only she will do..."

 

Leo could've sworn the bot nodded in her direction, but she didn't want to dwell on it considering her heart was already about to fly out of her chest. Instead, she sang along, knowing the lyrics by heart.

 

"I haven't slept for days

Can't focus on anything

She's always on my mind

And God it'd be so kind

If you could let me be...

 

For my entire life

I never knew what love was like

But now I've felt its touch

And its far too much

For me to hold inside..."

 

By now, even Dias was singing along. Leo had sung this song in his presence so many times that she wasn't even surprised to see that he had it memorised.

 

 "Feels like I'm

On top of the universe

On a shootin' star

Life is so wonderful

And everything is by far... So spectacular."

 

She had only heard this song on the album it had come on, so this was her first time hearing it sung in a female voice. And though the first version had sealed its place in her heart, hearing it now set off hoards of butterflies inside her. Rabbit's voice was deep and sultry, her range varied, and her talent off the wall. And Leo loved it, her favourite song updated and almost personalised with the dedication beforehand.

 

In the middle of the song, the music slowed, and Rabbit started to speak.

 

"I think about her all the time... She's on my mind... She's pretty, I'll give her that." This time Leo caught the wink that was most definitely directed at her, and she sunk in her seat, embarrassed but flattered. "She's got these gorgeous eyes... The perfect smile... And her heart." Rabbit smiled dreamily. "Her heart is something else. Let's me tell ya..."

 

The others joined back in as the song continued, but Leo seemed to have forgotten to breathe. Logically, she knew that Rabbit was playing with her. She knew that the flirting- for that was what she recognised it as now- was just a game, and that she was an easy target because of her devotion to the band. She also didn't care. Rabbit's attention and the song dedication was still exciting. She still couldn't help the butterflies and racing heart, but nor did she want to.

 

"On top of the universe

On that shootin star

Life is so wonderful

And everything is by far... So spectacular..."

 

The Spine finished the song with a long, drawn out note as he always did, and the audience went wild as Rabbit bowed and blew a kiss in their direction. Leo clapped enthusiastically, unable to wipe the dreamy grin off her face, and Art laughed gleefully.

 

"See! I told you you'd love it!"

 

"Shut up."

 

******

 

The band played long into the night, and Leo was buzzing but exhausted when at last they finished for the night. A few of the more organic cyborgs had already left, but the oil and water was still flowing for the more artificial occupants, who would probably stay the night. The band farewelled the audience and disappeared backstage, and Leo turned to Art and Dias, who were as flushed and tired as she was. "Do you wanna wait for them, or go back to the ship?"

 

"Ship." 

 

She nodded and they started to head back, only for Art to break away from the group and rush towards the backstage door. It was already opening as she approached it, and she didn't have time to stop before she barrelled right into The Spine. Leo swore softly from secondhand embarrassment but was relieved that the titanium automaton was solid enough to take the blow without any effects.

"Oh, God, sorry!" Art laughed giddily as she righted herself and blew her hair out of her eyes. "That was awesome, thanks! Leo blushed so hard-"

"Ok, that's enough," Leo grabbed her friend and cast an apologetic look to the silver robot. "You guys were great tonight, and I think it's time to go."

"Our pleasure." The Spine tipped his hat to both of them, and Art took advantage of him bending down and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Dammit, Art!" Leo pulled her away, red-faced, leaving The Spine looking shocked at the unexpected attention. They made it through the door and down the lane, and Leo dragged Art all the way home and tucked her into bed, ignoring her protests.

This was going to be an interesting week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe we should shake things up next chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conflict.

Leo awoke with a smile on her face and a tune in her head. She watched the fireplace projected on the wall smoulder, the last glowing embers still crackling. She considered this new addition to her quarters to be the best thing she had ever done- her favourite projections were the fireplace and a window looking onto a rainy night. Combined, they made perfect snuggling conditions.

The idea of snuggling brought her attention to the arms draped across her waist. She carefully shifted herself so that she could face her partner, whose sleeping face was still and peaceful. The grip on her waist tightened for a moment with her movements, then relaxed as she settled. 

Leo had taken to asking Dias to sleep with her, in the most innocent sense of the word, after a particularly rough pirating experience had brought reoccurring nightmares and forced them to temporarily retire from their lucrative careers. His lanky body was perfect for being the protective 'big spoon', and four arms meant twice the cuddles. Not to mention his skin was amazingly soft and his various heartbeats were very soothing.

Sharing the bed became the custom, even after the nightmares stopped and her mental health had improved. Neither of them had moved to take the relationship any further, and Leo wondered about it sometimes but was two embarrassed to ask if they were physically compatible. Dias seemed content, but he was always like that- polite and reserved, though not afraid to banter and flirt. She didn't want to press matters, as she too was content, but she couldn't help thinking and speculating about certain... aspects.

(AN- Ass-pecs... hehehe...)

Now, she wondered about another pressing matter. Since meeting the automaton, Rabbit, she realised that her behaviour was not exactly... appropriate... for one already in a relationship. She had been trying to deny it, but she could only lie to herself for so long. She HAD been flirting, and although it wasn't serious- she would never consider betraying Dias!- it would still have been an issue with her previous partners back on Earth.  
As she examined her boyfriend's sleeping face, the purple skin glowing in the dying firelight, his three eyelids flickering and four ears twitching as he dreamed, and his blue dreadlocks woven around his sharp face, she felt a surge of affection with a side order of fear. How was she supposed to alleviate his fears, if he had them? How could she explain herself? Surely he had to be even slightly jealous of the attention she gave Rabbit. How could she bring it up, when he didn't seem inclined to?

She brought her hand up to touch his face, urged to reassure him even if he didn't need it. She stroked the warm skin, tracing his jawline and petting the feathery ears, and slowly his breathing changed as his ears stopped twitching and his eyes stilled. Eventually, he opened his eyes and fixed his sleepy yellow gaze on her.

"That feels nice."

She smiled and petted his hair. "Should we do you hair soon? It feels a bit dry."

"Whenever you wish." He slowly peeled himself away from her and stretched, making the same relieved groaning/screeching sound she always laughed at.

"You sound like a screech owl."

"Are they cute?"

"They can be."

"Then I take that as a compliment."

"Of course you do." She yawned and stretched herself, then snuggled back into the covers. "Are we trading again today?"

"We almost have enough to not need to, but yes. There's still a few boxes to get rid of."

"I suppose I'll be up soon, then." She suddenly wanted to bring it up, but the sight of his pajama pants sliding down as he forced himself out of bed distracted her. She had asked him to wear clothes for that very reason, but it didn't always work. She shook her head and bit her lip as she tried to remember what she wanted to say. "Uh, Dias?"

"Yes?"

"Are you... worried, at all?"

He pulled his shirt over his head, making her bite her lip for another reason. "About what?"

"Anything." She tried to fake nonchalance. "The ship, supplies... us..."

"No...?" His confusion was evident as he continued dressing. "Should I be?"

"No, you shouldn't." She tried to put as much meaning into her answer as possible, but she doubted he understood. "That's backwards."

He turned his shirt around and nodded. "Thanks." Clothes were still confusing to him, sometimes. He didn't mind them, but it was just another human custom he adhered to because she asked, and he still occasionally mixed things up. "Why? Are you worried?"

"Not... much." She was worried that he was worried, but that didn't seem to be something she could explain to him. "No. I'm fine. Forget I asked."

"Okay...?" He leaned over and touched her brown curls, looking thoughtful. "Should we do something with your hair as well as mine? You might want to do something special in four cycles, for that's when the robot band have their last performance. I noticed Art was wearing your face-stuff last night."

Leo struggled to process this flow of information, still sleep-addled. "Um... yes?"

"Good. I will try to find something appropriate for the occasion while we're out today."

"Thanks... Oh my god, Art got drunk last night." She covered her face in mortification. "What a disaster that was. Thank all the stars that The Spine is so kind, or else we wouldn't be able to face him ever again."

"You have told me many times that humans deal with their feelings in strange ways. Does Art have feelings toward The Spine?"

"She's had the biggest crush on him for about five years. Even before he was the sexiest male. So yes. She needs to find a happy medium that doesn't include being deathly nervous or drunkenly outgoing or something ridiculous is going to happen."

"A mild sedative?"

"Vlad won't supply us with medication, I'm sure. It's not a life-threatening situation." She sighed. "But without outside stimulus, I don't see how we could convince her to come again anyway."

"Maybe we should bring Vlad. His hostility  
may prompt her to act as a mediator or defender of her beloved."

"That's... actually a brilliant idea." 

"I tend to have a lot of those."

"Yes, you do." She groaned and stretched again. "I suppose I should get up now. We gotta break the news to the bot."

******

Vlad's response to their request was predictable, but his respect for Leo as captain and his own saviour didn't allowed him to disobey a direct order. Begrudgingly, he got ready to leave with them, making sure to voice his protests loud enough for everyone to hear.

Leo woke Art with fruit and water, convinced that she would sleep the day away without attention. 

Her friend huffed wearily, bleary-eyed and bed-headed. "You can't be here to order me back to the bar. You know I won't go."

Leo set the tray beside the bed and handed her the glass. "Nope. But you should come to the market today. At least to find parts. And entertain Vlad."

"He's going?"

"Yep. He agreed to come tonight."

Art frowned. "Why? He hates everyone there. He has no reason to go."

Leo took a breath- lying to her best friend wasn't going to be easy. "I think he feels that his novelty has worn off, and he wants to see for himself who is competing for our attentions. We've talked them up so much, and now he needs to establish his place."

"That's ridiculous." She reached for the fruit, looking concerned. "You don't think he would be hostile, do you?"

"I don't know, he might. I can't guarantee he'll behave. And I can't spend the whole night watching him. We'll just have to risk it, and hope he doesn't insult The Spine too much."

She looked stricken. "He wouldn't."

"Of course he would."

"I can't let him do that!"

Leo hid a smile by eating a piece of fruit. "You can't do anything. You're not going."

Art swore and collapsed back on her pillow. "Last night was more embarrassing than before. How can I face him?"

"I don't know, Art. But you have all day to figure it out."  
Leo left the tray with her friend and headed out, hoping her job was done.

******

Leo was learning to haggle pretty well, considering some languages didn't translate through her chip and some traders were reluctant to do business with a stranger to the belt. But Dias was confident enough in her abilities that he left her by herself on numerous occasions, and by the late afternoon they had amassed above and beyond their expectations. Vlad had found medical supplies and human-friendly food, and actually seemed to be enjoying himself. Leo watched fondly as he neatly packed away his findings and then spotted something of interest in the marketplace, wondering what they would've done without him if she hadn't brought him onboard.

As the android wandered away, she felt a tap on her shoulder, and found Art waiting behind her, looking sheepish.

"I'm only here to babysit the bot." She sat down on a box and started fishing around in Vlad's neatly stacked crate. "I don't want to, but I can put my embarrassment away for the protection of what's left of our dignity."

"I'm glad you feel that way." Leo looked away, trying to hide her triumphant grin. "It might be a good opportunity to make up for the last two-" She stopped, frozen, as she caught sight of a familiar shade of pink.

"Nights?" Art supplied, unaware of Leo's crisis.  
Heart racing, Leo whipped around and dropped to the ground, back against the counter. Seeing Rabbit anywhere other than the bar was an unexpected surprise, to say the least, and she had no idea how to react.

"What-?" Art stood up to see what had rattled her friend so much and gasped. "Oh! Are they all here?"

"I don't know." Leo slid up and peered over the counter, only her eyes showing. She could see Rabbit examining some fabric at a stall a few metres away, and further on, Vlad was talking to Hatchworth. No Spine as yet, but that didn't quell the panic. She took a few deep breaths. "What are they doing here?"

"Shopping?" As her favourite hadn't appeared yet, Art wasn't as panicked. "Are you really going to hide from them?"

"Maybe."

Art crouched down next to her and sighed. "Okay. I'll support you in this time of hardship."

"Are you mocking me?"

"Of course, what do you take me for?"

Leo tried to feel annoyed that Art wasn't taking her predicament seriously, but she couldn't stop the nervous giggle that came out instead. She rubbed her temples with a groan. "I can't believe I'm hiding from her when we've been flirting for the last few days."

"Neither can I." Leo jumped as Dias set down his bag and shook his head. "Just talk to her. She won't be a different person during the day."

"Dias..." Leo knew he had heard what she said about flirting, but why didn't he seem bothered? "I'm not- I-I mean, are you- ?"

"Oh hey, Dias!"

Leo's heart leaped from her chest as the voice rang out above her head. Her boyfriend grinned at her and then waved to Rabbit. "Hello, Rabbit! What can I do for you?"

"Well now, I don't know..." the copper bot peered around the stall, smiling. "You wouldn't happen to have any humans in stock, would you?"

"I might..." He glanced at Leo again, gesturing subtly for her to get up. "What kind are you after?"

"Preferably dark-skinned and pretty, with curly hair and a bright smile."

"Hold on, I'll check..." Dias came over and crouched down out of her sight, offering a hand to Leo. "Well?" he whispered.

Art nudged her. "Come on, man."

Leo glanced at Dias, but he held no trace of resentment in his gaze. With a deep breath, she took his hand and let him pull her up.

"Found one!" He patted her shoulder and retreated to the far corner of the stall.

Leo smiled weakly. "Hi!"

Rabbit's grin lit up her whole face. "I knew you were here. Have you had a good day?"

"Yeah, we got some good stuff." She winced at her lame answer. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Hatchy's looking for organic produce, and I thought I'd look for some fabric to spice up the outfit. I wanted your opinion-" she held up two bolts of cloth. "Red or blue? I wanna make them into a corset or something."

"Ahh..." she considered the fabrics against the existing outfit. "Red. You've already got a theme going, so stick with that."

"That's what I thought!" Rabbit gave her a quick once-over, and Leo felt suddenly naked without her heavy coat. "You should wear more red. It really brings out your skin."

"Oh..." she looked down at her grey dress and black tights, her staple outfit for the last few years. "OK. I'll keep that in mind."

"Good!" 

"Rabbit, I hope you're not telling people what to wear again, considering you're not the most fashion-forward person in the galaxy yourself."

Out of the corner of her eye, Leo saw Art shrink down against the counter as The Spine stopped at their stall.

"What do you mean, brother?" Rabbit stuck out a hip and thrust out her chest. "I'm fabulous."

Leo snorted, and The Spine's lips twitched at his sister's antics. "I'm sure you are. Leo, how are you?"

"I'm great, thanks. Supervising the children?"

He grinned. "Feels like it, sometimes."

"Hey!" Rabbit pouted at Leo. "You're supposed to be on MY side!"

"Am I? I don't recall agreeing to that."

"You wound me, dear friend." She looked around again, struck with an idea. "But where is Art? I'm sure she'd like to be here."

"Yes, how is she?" The Spine inquired. "I hope she's doing well. She seemed to be in high spirits last night."

"Shes, uh..." she glanced down, silently asking Art what she should say. At her feet, Art was pale and tight-lipped, staring straight ahead. "Doing... stocktake...?"

Rabbit laughed, understanding the joke. "I'm sure she could pop up for a few minutes to say hi!"

"I don't know..." Art still wasn't moving. "I think she's a bit busy. Maybe later?"

The Spine nodded. "That's quite alright. Will we see all of you tonight?"

"Of course. Oh, and, um..." she nodded to Rabbit, smiling shyly. "Thanks for last night, by the way. It's my favourite song, and you were amazing."

Rabbit bowed her head at the praise. "Awww, I'm so glad you liked it!"

"And we always take requests, by the way," The Spine mentioned.

"Ah, well, in that case... I think it's Art's turn for a dedication. I'm not sure what her favourite song is because she loves them all, but if it could be from you to her..."

"Ah, I think I have just the thing!" He gave her a thumbs up and a wink. "Listen out for it tonight. I hope you'll both enjoy it."

She smiled. "If it's from you, of course we will."

Rabbit scowled. "Ew, stop flirting with my brother!"

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Why, are you jealous?"

She leaned forward. "What if I said yes?"

"Then I'd probably have to transfer my attentions to the more willing recipient."

"They'd probably like that."

"You think so?"

The Spine chuckled uncomfortably and patted his sister on the shoulder. "I'm going to head back to the ship. See you all tonight!"

"We'll be there!" Leo pulled back from Rabbit, suddenly realising that she was flirting in front of Dias AGAIN. "We should start packing up. Don't want to be late for tonight."

"Do you want any help?"

"No, but thank you." Leo didn't want to risk anymore potential awkwardness in front of her boyfriend. "See you tonight?"

"Sure thing." Rabbit left with a bow and a wave, and Art stirred from her frozen position.

"I'll be back." And she was off. 

Leo watched her run in the direction the robots had gone, and shook her head. "That was a disaster, as usual. I'm sorry, Dias."

He looked up from the crate he was sorting through, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Flirting with her. I didn't mean to. It just kinda... happens."

"Why are you apologising for that?"

"Because... because... it's wrong?"

"Is it?"

Leo was starting to get frustrated. Was he deliberately leading with questions? Did he really not understand, or was this a ploy to draw her out? He had never done such a thing before, but they had never had to deal with this kind of situation either. 

Did he trust her to know what she was doing, or did he just not care?

"OK." She took a deep breath and crossed her arms. "Are you telling me that you are perfectly fine with me flirting with some one other than you? That you don't care about me giving what looks like romantic attention to another person?"

"Yes...?" His confusion was still evident. "Are you upset that I don't have negative feelings towards your behaviour with Rabbit?"

"Yes. No. Yes!" How could she make him understand when she didn't herself? "I... don't know."

He stood up and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Leo. I don't understand what you are trying to say."

Tears pushed at the corners of her vision, but she wasn't quite sure why. "And I'm sorry I don't know how to make you understand." She sniffed and moved away, deciding to save this conversation for another day. They obviously weren't going to get anywhere with this today. "Anyway. Never mind. We should pack up."

******

The two of them worked in silence that evening, even when Art and Vlad joined them to assist in the packing up of their goods. The sky had dimmed as they worked, and by the time everything was stacked and tied and bagged, the market was starting to close for the night. 

The foursome closed up their stall, leaving everything inside to collect later that night, and headed for the other side of town. It had been a long day, and while all of them hoped for a relaxing evening, Leo knew that with her motley crew, it wasn't going to be THAT easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a light hearted fun thing. Oops


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are progressing, people are maturing, and events are... unexpected.

Art had endured Leo's awkward flirting with both robots with amusement. Crouched under the counter, exchanging incredulous looks with Dias across the stall, she only just managed to stay quiet, letting Leo have her fun. But when The Spine asked for her, every logical thought in her brain shriveled up. She was aware of Dias's gesturing for her to get up and Leo's nudging while she tried to cover for her, but all she could think of was her stupid behaviour from the last few nights. She had no idea how to act in front of the automatons and the very thought of popping up in front of them in yet another in a series of awkward interactions horrified her.

As she sat, frozen on the ground, while everyone tried to urge her to get up, she realised that eventually, she would have to face him. She couldn't leave him with such a bad impression of her. But she didn't seem to be able to use her brain in the robot bar- the excitement was just too much for her. But what could she do?

She became aware of Leo saying goodbye, and before she could think about it too much, she sprang up and ran out of the stall, following Rabbit and The Spine through the marketplace. It took her a few moments to collect herself and try to calm her racing heart, but before she knew what she was doing, she had reached out and touched his shoulder.

"Hmm? Oh!" The Spine turned around and smiled, tipping his hat. "It's good to see you, Art."

"Thanks. You too." She shoved her hands in her pocket to try and stop her fidgeting, feeling heat spread across her cheeks. She would have to make this quick before she lost her nerve. "Look, I just wanted to apologise for my stupidity last night. I drank before I came because I was embarrassed about the other thing, and that's why I was a bit... too friendly, I guess. I'm not usually like that... I-I'm sorry for being a weirdo."

He was shaking his his head as she spoke, waiting for her to finish. "Please, Miss Art, don't be embarrassed. I was not offended by your behaviour. In fact, I hope you'll come along tonight, because you might like some of what we have planned."

She hadn't wanted too, but she had agreed because of Vlad, and now The Spine himself was asking her... "Sure, yeah, I'll be there." 

"Great!" He gave her a wink and a smile. "I gotta catch up to Rabbit, but I'll see you tonight."

"See you there..." Art couldn't stop the goofy smile that chased the red from her face, or the flying feeling she got as she waved him goodbye. Her feet barely touched the ground on the way back to the stall. She could now barely wait for evening to fall.

******

Over the last few nights, Leo had come to love entering the robot bar. The change in lighting, the slightly smokey smell, the sounds of beeping and chattering and metal-on-metal that greeted her as she stepped out of the clear evening air and into the venue just seemed to tingle her senses in the right way. She took a deep breath and pushed away her worries about Dias, preferring to enjoy the atmosphere without distraction.

They passed tables of bots and 'borgs, who by now were mostly used to the strange group and nodded their acknowledgement to her as a fellow cyborg, and found a spot at the bar. Leo was now less shy of the mechanical crowd and soon started up a conversation with a tall, hulking cyborg with only half a face to show that he was organic. She kept an eye on Vladmir, who at first seemed uncomfortable to be around so many of his own kind, but eventually ended up discussing human-friendly drinks with the bartender. Dias and Art were obviously at home in the mechanical environment by now, and had found a tiny android to talk to.

"I still get the phantom pains," the cyborg was saying, and Leo nodded sympathetically. "Sometimes I can't even move my fingers because it feels so real."

"I know what you mean." She raised her bronze arm and shrugged a few times. "I used to have nightmares about the accident almost every night. I could feel the blade slicing off my arm and no matter how many times I tried to reassure myself, I could still remember how it felt. Not to mention the agony of the surgery."

The giant man flinched. "Oh, don't even mention surgery. That's something I've been trying to forget." He took a great gulp of his drink and cleared his throat. "How do you cope with the memories?"

"I have a... partner." She glanced at Dias, who was laughing at something the little android had said, and felt a surge of guilt at how casually she had been treating him. "He's helped me work through everything and he stays with me at night for comfort. I don't know what I would've done without him this last year."

"Lucky."

His bitter expression was clear even with half his face taken over by metal. She laid a hand over his and tried to look comforting. "You're still here. That's what matters. If you need companionship, I'm sure we could find a place for you with us...?"

"No." He sighed with a great mechanical wheeze that reminded her of a hovercraft landing. "Thank you. I'm afraid I'm contracted to the squadron for a long time yet, but thanks for the offer."

"Is there no one in the squadron who you can rely on?"

"Relationships aren't really... advised. Our lives are dangerous and becoming attached to someone who may die in a mission is a distraction."

"That's cold, but... understandable." She patted his massive metal arm. "I don't really know what to say to make you feel better, but my offer of friendship stands. If we ever come across each other again, don't hesitate to say hi."

He nodded. "Thank you."

The first few guitar chords were struck, and Leo spun around with a grin. "Now here's something that should take your mind off everything. Music can sooth the soul, and the robots will have you laughing in no time."

"Ah, I was here last night. They're certainly entertaining."

"I love them." She knew she was smiling stupidly, but she knew the burly cyborg wouldn't judge her for it. "These guys have gotten me through a lot, and they make me really happy."

Before he could say anything, the opening riff from Honeybee floated up from the stage, and Leo's attention was completely diverted.

******

The night passed in a whirlwind of music and laughter. At some point, her cyborg friend bought her a drink that had her seeing stars from the first sip, and Vlad took it away and replaced it with something less potent, muttering about alien metabolisms and irresponsibility. The band's music was no less enjoyable while she was tipsy, and her only change in behaviour was slightly louder singing along and more enthusiastic dancing in her seat.

Eventually, The Spine took the microphone and the others moved back, and Leo knew Art's song was coming.

"My good friends... I would like to dedicate this next song to a lovely human girl." He smiled a little smile that had Leo sighing dreamily and glancing over at Art. She was delighted to see her friend transfixed and blushing.   
He fiddled with his guitar for a moment, and behind him Rabbit produced a fan and a tambourine from an undisclosed location. A lively melody was struck up, and Leo bopped in her seat as the trio began to harmonise a pretty tune that she didn't recognise.

"Starlight, starshine, please come back into my life...  
You left me all alone, can't you see that my, heart’s your home..."

Leo had been expecting a romantic song, but an emotional lament was just as good to her. Art was enjoying it, wide-eyed and slack-jawed in her seat, which was all that really mattered. The song's progression seemed to be an emotional experience for her friend. Leo had to admit that it was some of The Spine's best work.

"Starlight, starshine, no longer do you shine so bright  
The sun frowns, the moon sighs, sad is the universe through my eyes  
l am not just a machine   
I'm just a person holding onto a dream..."

While the tune was bouncy, the lyrics were not. Leo marvelled at what seemed to be a poetic peek into his diary, so to speak. Of course it was only a song, but The Spine was universally acknowledged to be a romantic, and while he was a performer, his feelings were pretty obvious in his signature personal tunes. This was turning out to be one of them.

By the end off the song, the girls had picked up the chorus and sang along with the band. Rabbit rattled her tambourine with the last note, and the robots took a bow as the audience applauded.

"Was that one meant for you?" asked Leo's cyborg friend as the noise started to die down.

"No, mine was last night. This was for my friend with the blue hair, over here." She gestured to Art, who was smiling broadly, eyes sparkling.

"Congratulations for being noticed."

"Thanks. I'll pass it on." She saluted him, and slipped away to join Art nearby. "So, how was that?"

"It was... it was just..." Art sighed happily, nearly speechless. "Amazing."

"Gorgeous," she agreed. The Spine's vocals never disappointed.

"I think that might be his best one yet."

"You might be right."

Onstage, the trio conferred together and then announced intermission. Art stiffened up immediately, and Leo patted her shoulder.

"You'll be fine. At least thank him for the song, OK?"

She cleared her throat and tried to relax. "I'm not afraid of talking to him anymore. I'm just...nervous."

"I know the feel. Pray for me, in case I forget to behave myself."

"Do you ever behave yourself?"

"You have a point." Leo pulled her hair over her shoulders, feeling bolder with something to hide behind. "Do I look sober?"

"You never look sober."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"Easy. Spine's coming."

"What?" Art whipped around in a panic, only to see the silver man chatting with another robot as he slowly headed their way. "You're a cow."

"Correction- you're both pathetic," muttered Vlad from where he was standing nearby.

"Shall I court-martial him for disrespecting his captain and chief engineer?" Leo asked Art, who glanced lazily at the robot and raised an eyebrow.

"He needs a rank in the first place, for that."

"What, I don't rank high enough in your hearts?" 

"Nope, you've been replaced by someone who can actually sing."

"You wound me."

"I hope so."

Leo had turned away by now, leaving them to their bantering, and ordered another drink.

"So... come here often?"

She jumped at the unexpected line, and grinned at Rabbit, who was leaning on the bar next to her. "Only when there's good music."

"I don't know if you'll find that here, but I'll keep an eye out for you."

"Thanks, but I think I've found exactly what I was looking for." She took a sip of her drink. "That was a nice song. Is it new?"

"Actually he's been working on it for a while, but now he's satisfied. It might be in the next album."

"Next album?" She leaned forward, excited. "When? What's it gonna be like? How can I buy it from space?"

"Not sure, not sure, not sure." Rabbit shrugged. "We gotta get home first. This trip has given us a lot of new material to work with."

Leo clasped her hands together. "I can't wait for new songs! But you have to record some old ones too, with your new voice. On Top Of The Universe, especially. That one is very close to my heart. In fact, I always love the videos of you guys in Balboa Park and the whole spiel about Jen-" she stopped, realising the potential disaster of her words. "Oh damn, I'm sorry, am I allowed to mention her?"

Rabbit only laughed and waved away her concerns. "That was a long time ago, darling. You weren't kidding when you said you're a huge fan, were you?"

"Never." Leo shook her head. "I'm sorry for rambling. I'm a bit tipsy, to tell you the truth. Someone bought me a drink that was too strong for me and I'm starting to feel it."

"Are you kidding? If the rambling is about me, why would I dislike it?" She beckoned the bartender over with a wicked grin. "She'll have another drink, if you please."

"Rabbit!" Leo tried to glare at her, but couldn't quite find it in her to be mad. "You're incorrigible."

"Well, I can't drink, so I have to find other ways to amuse myself." 

"You could start by teasing Art." She glanced behind her to see The Spine conversing with Art, who stared up at him with wide eyes and a permanent blush. A few steps away, Vlad stood with crossed arms and a blank expression, evidently unimpressed with them so far. "She's a little bit nuts about your brother."

"Ahh, but you see, I get to tease him about how much she likes him." 

"How does he take that?"

Rabbit took a sip of Leo's drink as she thought about her answer. "He gets a little embarrassed, and tries to defend her. I think he's amused by her attention, but not in a condescending way. He thinks she's sweet."

"Aww, that's adorable." Leo was secretly very happy to hear this- it meant they didn't look like losers to their idols. "She's very insecure about how she appears to him, especially considering his first few impressions of her, so that's good to know."

"Yes, well, I'm not sure how well I'd handle someone throwing up on me, but it takes a lot to ruffle The Spine." Rabbit quirked an eyebrow. "On the other hand, if you were drunk, that would be very entertaining."

Leo laughed and took back her glass, raising it Rabbit's direction before downing the rest of it. "And here I was thinking that my idols were a good influence."

Rabbit smirked and fluttered her eyelashes. "Where's the fun in that?"

"You make an excellent point."

"Don't I always?"

She gazed at the copper robot, the buzz from her second drink beginning to make itself known. She couldn't remember what her nights had been like before this. The playful bantering and thrill of excitement that came from interacting with these dynamic people, the ones that they never thought they would ever meet... Leo felt comfortable here, in a crowd of persons she could relate to and talking with someone she considered a friend despite their relatively short time knowing each other for real. 

A chuckle from Rabbit brought her out of her musings and made her realise she had been staring at her while lost in thought. "Having fun there?"

"Only always." Leo couldn't help the blush that heated her cheeks, embarrassed at being caught like that again. "I must be more tired than I thought."

"Well, don't worry, I'll make sur-"

The deafening roar of gunfire suddenly filled the bar, then abruptly ceased. In the terrified new silence, every head turned towards the door.

A man dress in red, armed to the teeth and scowling ferociously at everyone, held up his over-sized phaser rifle. As Rabbit gasped next to her, Leo stared at him as he paused for effect before uttering the chilling words:

"I'm looking for the automatons known as Steam Powered Giraffe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending a bit quickly, sorry. I have some interesting ideas for the next few chapters. Stay tuned :)


	8. Chapter 8

In the fragile silence that the man's words had left, Leo stared around the bar, her heart in her throat. She wasn't sure what kind of rapport the bots had built with their patrons, but she sure hoped they appreciated the entertainment enough to not rat out three of their own. As it was, she could see how uneasy the demand had made everyone. What punishments could they be facing for their loyalty, if they stuck to it?

But the more important question was, what had the musical automatons done to warrant this invasion?

After a few tense seconds, the man cocked his gun again and raised an eyebrow. "Are your audio receptors working properly? I asked for the robot band."

A few steps away, Leo saw her cyborg friend visibly swallow and take a breath. Though nervous, the hulking man crossed his arms and stared down the intruder. "Whadaya want them for?"

"They are wanted by the Red Queen's Imperial Force on SteamWorld. I have been sent to take them into custody immediately." He took a few steps into the venue, causing some of the audience to back away. "You will be handsomely rewarded for your cooperation."

The change in atmosphere was almost palpable. Now, instead of simply distrustful, the inhabitants of the bar were nearly openly hostile. It had been a bad move to mention SteamWorld, but the officer mustn't have been told about this bar's aversion to the place so many had managed to escape from.

There was no way anyone would help him now, Leo was sure.

"He's lying," whispered a voice from somewhere around Leo's knee. She glanced down quickly and tried stifle a nervous giggle at Rabbit's attempt at tucking herself under the bar. The automaton lady was not delicate by any means, but she managed to nearly twist herself into a pretzel to keep out of sight. "He w-w-won't do anything for you!"

'I know,' Leo wanted to reassure her, but she stayed quiet, too afraid of giving her friends away. She glanced in Art's direction and was briefly relieved to see that The Spine and Hatchworth were also out of sight. Art, on the other hand, was a sickly shade of white and looked to be near tears, prompting Dias to rest a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her. Thank God for the alien, Leo thought, turning back to see the man tapping his foot impatiently.

"Come, friends. This can be over quickly if someone just cooperates." He sighed dramatically. "I don't want to have to threaten anyone, but I have full permission from Hub Security to use whatever means necessary to fulfill my obligations. Someone better start talking, or myself and the task force waiting outside will be forced to become violent."

He wasn't going to go away anytime quickly, she realised. And he would eventually find the band if he ransacked the place.

Heart nearly beating out of her chest, she cleared her throat and stepped forward. "I-I don't think that's necessary, sir. I might be able to help you."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Art hissed from behind her.

The man turned his piercing gaze on her and nodded appreciatively. "Yes, cyborg?"

"They finished their performance about twenty minutes ago and left. I think their ship is docked near the transit centre on the eighth or ninth asteroid- they mentioned it the other night. If you leave now, you can probably catch them before anyone has time to warn them."

The glares that had been turned on her when she first started talking had been replaced with sly grins, which went unnoticed by the official. He narrowed his eyes at her for a few moments, as if trying to gauge whether he could trust her words. Then, with a smile, he nodded his thanks and tossed her a small item- a greenish-gold bar of metal, about the size of two fingers. She snatched it out of the air and raised her eyebrows at him.

"You'll get the rest when we find them. Thank you for your cooperation."

And with that, he turned on his heel and stomped out the way he came. 

Leo let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and slumped against the bar. "Did I just lie to the equivalent of the chief of police?"

"Actually, he's m-m-more like a military commander." Rabbit let out a puff of steam, gears screeching in protest as she tried to untangle herself. "I think I'll n-n-need a little help here."

She grabbed the metal hand and pulled hard, wincing at the noises Rabbit made as she finally managed to stand upright. "That sounds bad. Are you ok?"

"Just p-peachy." Rabbit stretched and moved her neck around, testing the mechanics. "Yep, I'll b-be fine."

"So... other than being charged for obstruction of justice, what happens next?"

There was silence as the bots and organics glanced between each other, until a voice from further down the bar spoke up.

"You leave."

Art crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow at the bot who had spoken, which looked a little strange on her considering she was still pale as a ghost. "Excuse me?"

"I mean that in the friendliest way possible." He was short and angular, cast in silver and gold patches. His eyes blinked one after the other as he surveyed them. "That was very brave of you, lying to protect your friends. But eventually, he'll realise that you misdirected him. You'd better leave before he comes back. We'll cover for you as best we can."

"Thank you." Leo beckoned to The Spine as he joined them from behind the bar, tipping his hat to the bartender. "You guys should come with us. We'll hide you on our ship until those clowns leave. Hopefully we can convince them that you've left the belt."

"We wouldn't want to put you in any more danger..." The Spine hesitated and glanced at Rabbit. "I think I know what your answer is, Rabbit, but we need to consider everything-"

"Everything that could go wr-wr-wrong?" Rabbit snorted. "Personally I think we'll be safer with our adoring fans than b-by ourselves."

"My sentiments exactly." Hatchworth straightened his hat and stepped forward. "I believe we will be safe with our friends. Lead the way, Captain Leo."

Leo smiled at the bronze bot, then turned to the bartender and slid the shiny object she was still holding towards him. "Drinks for everyone, on me." Amidst the cheers and claps the statement raised, she nodded to Rabbit and The Spine. "Come on, guys. Let's get you somewhere safe."

******

Their first stop was the market stall, where they each took an armload of traded goods to bring back to the ship. Before they got on the hovercar, Rabbit shed her pink wig and striped gloves, and the boys pulled the tablecloths around their shoulders to try and hide their most distinctive features.

The long ride to the ship was filled with nervous silence. The cars were usually empty, and no one really paid attention to the group of traders who had doubled during the course of the evening.

When they reached the Bob, the travellers wasted no time in making plans in case of an inspection.

"The most logical thing to do would be to change your clothes." Leo finished stacking their acquired goods in the hold and crossed her arms. "We don't know what kind of tech these people have, so they might discover you if you try to stow away somewhere. You need to look different and hide in plain sight."

"Including your faces." Art held up her hands, traces of engine grease still smeared under her nails. "Grease will do in a pinch. Unfortunately we're all out of paint."

"I also have makeup, but it's probably best not to try and look human when they'll know otherwise with their scanning equipment."

"I have clothing that might fit you, The Spine," added Dias, "and Vlad can help you out, Hatchworth."

"I have a few dresses that might fit Rabbit." Leo looked around at the motley crew, excitement blossoming in her chest. "We can do this. We've gotten through scarier situations." She took a deep breath. "Ok. Dias, you take care of The Spine. Vlad, find something to fit Hatchy. Art, find as much grease and other substances as you can to camouflage their identifying designs. Rabbit, you're with me. Let's do this."

The crew spilt and headed in opposite directions, and Leo led Rabbit back to her quarters. The mechanical lady hadn't said a word when she stepped into the ship, but now she let out a great sigh of relief as she entered the room.

"It's so c-c-comforting to have someone who knows what they're doing in a crisis. Thanks for this, Leo."

Leo opened her clothing storage unit and pulled out a few items, trying to fight the blush that rose at her words. "It's nothing really. We're kinda used to running from the law by now. We were originally pirates for a while."

"W-w-what happened?"

Leo held up her bronze limb. "I lost an arm and the experience was so traumatic I had to retire."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Rabbit sat down on the bed and laid out her wig, gloves and hat. She was a strange sight without her decorations, and Leo had to fight the urge to stare at her bald head.

"It's ok. We might get back into it one day, but I'm pretty content as a trader for the moment." She examined the dresses she had pulled out and picked three, and brought them over to the automaton. "See if these fit, ok?"

"Thanks." Rabbit stood up and started undressing, and Leo quickly turned away, not wanting to seem pervy even though her curiousity was killing her. Instead, she busied herself with taking off her boots and putting up her hair, trying to find things to do to pass the time.

"You kn-kn-know I'm not c-c-completely anatomically correct, right?" Rabbit's voice was light, teasing.

"Hmm?"

"I'm just saying, you don't have to turn away. There's nothing interesting to see." She cleared her throat. "And besides... I, uh, kinda need help."

Leo glanced over and had to stifle a laugh. Rabbit had somehow gotten stuck as she tried to pull the dress over her head, leaving herself as nude as a robot could get from the shoulders down. She quickly came over and helped wrestle the dress down to cover all the essentials, though as the lady had said, there was nothing to see in the first place. Just layers of copper plates in an obvious feminine shape, oxidised in various patches.

"Hey, d-don't laugh at me," Rabbit protested, though the teasing tone was still there. "I'm used to dresses with b-buttons and laces."

"I can tell." Leo shook her head, grinning, then stepped back and nodded appreciatively. "You rock this dress, though. It's a bit short, but we can work with that."

The dress, which was a deep red, contrasted with the green and copper but didn't clash, and skimmed Rabbit's metal curves softly. The robot examined herself in the mirror and whistled at her reflection. "You're not wr-wr-wrong. I may need to steal this. Or, you know, buy one when I g-get home."

"That's good, too. Unless you want me to chase you across the galaxy to get it back."

"Not that you n-need an excuse..."

Leo snorted, embarrassed at how true the words were. "You're terrible."

"But a good terrible." Rabbit gave one last twirl in the mirror, then lifted the hem of the dress. "Okay, help me get this off. I wanna try the others."

"That was almost the perfect sentence." Leo giggled at her own joke and helped to pull the dress over Rabbit's head, but as she stepped back she found the fabric had gotten caught in her metal arm. "Smegging arm. I gotta get those sharp edges fixed."

"Here, let me help..." Rabbit pulled the dress, and Leo, closer and examined the bit that was caught. "Hold your arm up higher, I think I can fix this..."

There was a rap on the door, and Leo had called out "Come in!" before it had even registered what was happening.

"Wait, Leo!" Rabbit hissed, but it was too late. 

The door slid open, and Vlad paused with one leg over the threshold as he took in the scene before him. Leo suddenly realised that she was standing very close to a naked automaton, one who Vlad had seen her raving about, and flirting with, multiple times. They all stood frozen, trying to work out how to best proceed, and behind Vlad, Hatchworth flung a hand over his eyes and backed away. Leo blinked rapidly as Vlad carefully retracted his foot and backed out of the doorway, the door sliding shut behind him.

"Well, bollocks." Leo sighed and covered her face with her flesh hand as Rabbit worked the fabric out of her metal one. "That was a disaster."

"I'm sorry..." Finally, the dress was freed and Rabbit folded it neatly, placing it on the bed. "I hope I haven't made trouble for you."

"No, it should be fine. Vlad can work it out, and if not, I can clear things up later." Leo huffed a little laugh. "I'm more concerned about Hatchy."

"He's not as innocent as you'd think," Rabbit reached for the next dress, grinning. "I know he seems childish, but most of that is for the act. He's actually quite clever."

"Clever enough to know he didn't see what he thought he saw?"

"I guess we'll find out, hey?" She held up a green and black striped tunic, making a doubtful face. "You think this'll fit?"

"We'll make it fit."

******

It was some time later that Leo left Rabbit, powered down, in a pile of clothes wearing a purple sweater and Leo's preppiest grey skirt, to find a late night snack in the galley. Art was just leaving with their biggest mug of coffee, a smudge on her cheek and circles under he eyes.

"If you don't go to bed, I'll throw you in the brig." She grabbed something that resembled a pink kiwi fruit and tossed it to her, and Art caught it and set down her coffee, grumbling. "Those are calming, apparently. Go get some rest. Captain's orders."

Art mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "not my mother" and shuffled out, and Leo took a sip of the coffee she left behind. She spent the next few moments stretching, and picked out a box of crackers from the pantry. They had been collected from a strictly religious, self-denying culture, and so were practically tasteless, but they were crunchy, which was what she wanted.

Tiredness came upon her suddenly, and as she put everything away and started to leave, she nearly ran into Vlad. One look at his deep frown and she just knew.

"Leo," he started quietly, taking a deep breath, "we need to talk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why did it take me so long to write this crap.
> 
> Yes, I know Leo hasn't even asked why they're now SW's most wanted. We'll get to that. Blind adoration, ~and all that jazz~


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few questions are answered, a conflict is resolved, and fluff happens.

"I know what you're going to say." Leo took another gulp of coffee, not wanting to have this conversation. "It's not necessary."

"Not... necessary?" Vlad looked furious and barely able to contain it, faceplates folded into a deep frown and fists clenched by his sides. "Leo, I haven't know you for as long as the others, but I didn't think you were the kind of person who would do something like this as soon as a favourite celebrity came aro-"

"You don't know what you're talking about." Leo was trying to stay calm, but nerves and anger were churning in the pit of her stomach and making it hard to think clearly.

"I think I do! You've been flirting with Rabbit for as long as we've been here, and raving about her for as long as I've known you!" Vlad took a breath and looked at the ground, then up at her, trying to collect his thoughts. "She may be attractive and talented, but that is no excuse to throw away the trust Dias has in you and betray him for someone who probably doesn't even care about you in the long run."

"It wasn't like that- I'm not betraying anyone!"

"Oh really? How do you figure?" He stepped towards her, lowering his voice. "Is it because she's a robot? Does it not count if they're not proper people?"

"You know I've never felt like that!" Leo cried, enraged by yet another accusation. "I've always viewed you and every other mechanical being as real people, and I've never treated you like less of a living creature because you're metal! You know this for a fact, so you have no basis to accuse me of such a thing!" She set the coffee down hard, spilling it on the bench, and stepped closer to him, poking him hard in the chest. "And as for this Rabbit thing, you should know I love Dias with all my heart and would never willingly do anything to hurt him. I was not betraying him in any shape or form."

Vlad batted away her hand, voice softening. "Then how do you explain the situation?"

"I was helping Rabbit remove the dress and it got caught on my hand. She was helping to remove it when you came in. That is the whole story."

"Oh." He stepped back, visibly relieved. "I'm sorry. It's just... you can't deny that you've been flirting. I just assumed the worst."

"I won't try to deny it." Leo looked away, clearing her throat. "That's just how she is. Rabbit flirts with everyone, because she likes to tease. Sometimes I go along with it. I know it looks bad, but I swear it's not serious. And besides, I don't have to explain myself to you."

Vlad crossed his arms, but all irritation was fading. He looked at the ground, expression unsure, and Leo got the feeling that the issue was a little deeper than her and Dias' relationship. "I just don't think it's fair on Dias." His voice was low, weary. "It's... not right..." 

"You know what it's also not?" She picked up the coffee cup and turned away, emptying it into the sink. "Your business."

He exhaled, and she waited for him to say something else, but he simply shook his head and wandered away, looking troubled. Leo wiped up the spilled coffee and washed the cup and cloth, feeling uneasy. Vlad had always been a bit of a mystery to her, emotional and unpredictable since the first time she met him. He had accepted his position with the crew happily and didn't mind her authority, although most of the time her position of captain was simply a formality. They were all friends here, and he seemed to fit into their lives pretty well. Usually. 

He had never made trouble for them before, and Leo hoped he wasn't going to blow this issue out of proportion. A divided crew was weaker and vulnerable. If everyone onboard was to make it off the belt without being arrested, they would need every person in agreement.

The suspense of not knowing how things were going to turn out was going to send her mad, so Leo did what she usually did in that kind of situation- she pushed the thoughts away and tried to think about something else. It was late, and there was the possibility of having to deal with the local authorities the next day, so she decided to go to bed.

Dias wasn't sleeping with her tonight, she realised as she tiptoed into her quarters. The 'sleeping' robot in the corner was still in a pile of clothes, and too heavy to lift into a chair or the bed, so Leo placed a blanket over her and hoped that she was comfortable where she was. As an afterthought, and maybe an attempt to restore some of her friend's dignity, she carefully put the wig back on Rabbit's head. 

Changing her clothes and crawling into bed, she smiled at the sight of the metal lady sleeping in her bedroom, and slowly drifted off.

******

It was the unusual absence of someone else's warmth that nudged her out of sleep, but the first thing she saw when when opened her eyes was Rabbit, wearing her formal coat and posing in the mirror.

Leo drew the covers around her shoulders and watched, wide-eyed, as the colourful automaton pulled the coat tighter around her waist and looked over her shoulder, admiring her behind. The long coat looked smaller on Rabbit's larger frame, more fitted, and the deep red and gold trimming was flattering against the copper of her body. Leo wasn't sure whether to whistle or laugh at her affectations, so she settled for neither.

"You might as well try the boots while you're at it."

Rabbit spun around, surprised. "Oh, d-d-did I wake you?"

"Nope. But I have enjoyed the fashion show. You rock that coat."

"Thanks!" Rabbit grinned. "You have great t-taste in clothes."

"You wanna know a secret?" Leo scrunched her nose up, an excited trait she'd never been able to quite get rid of. "I used a credit card to buy most of it before I left the planet."

She gasped in mock-shock. "You criminal!"

"Oh yes, I'm quite ashamed of myself."

"I can-can-can tell." Rabbit looked around and found the aforementioned boots, smiling at the white and gold design. "These are gorgeous."

"Just don't break them. Art will kill you. She made me bequeath them to her in the event of my death."

"If her b-bad side is anything like her overwhelmed side, I d-don't wanna get anywhere near it."

"Good idea." Leo giggled as she thought of her friend. "Who decided it was a good idea to put Art and Spine on the same ship?"

Rabbit smiled slyly. "This'll be fun."

"It sure will." She pushed the covers back and stretched, groaning as she remembered the previous night's conversation. "Ugh, what am I going to do about Vlad?"

"Did he give you trouble?"

"A bit. I managed to explain what really happened, but he thinks I'm being too friendly with you and that it's not fair on Dias. Which is probably true, I guess." She frowned. "I mean, I haven't even mentioned to you that we're together. That's a pretty crappy thing to do."

"No, you haven't, but I'd already kind of guessed..." Rabbit stood up, having successfully squeezed into the boots. "Should I go talk to him? Reassure him that we're not involved?"

"No, I should do it. He's my boyfriend, after all."

"Alright." She spun around once more, nodded at herself approvingly, and sat on the bed. "So, what's the p-p-plan for today?"

"We need to practice disguises and lies." Leo pushed her blankets away and swung her legs over the side with a sleepy smile. "But first, breakfast."

******

The galley seemed crowded, now that the ship's population had doubled. Leo walked in and was immediately handed a cup of coffee by Dias, who was looking more anxious than usual. She smiled and stepped next to him, leaning against him as she glanced around at the rest of the inhabitants.

Rabbit followed her in and joined her brothers, who were downing glasses of water like it was going out of fashion. The Spine was simply clad in his usual trousers and one of Dias's tank tops, the extra arm holes offering plenty of silver torso to anyone who cared to look. Which Leo did, unashamedly. Hatchworth, on the other hand, was looking sleek and smooth in a simple black turtleneck, courtesy of Vlad, who was trying to pretend that he wasn't watching Leo like an eagle. 

Leo ignored him and sipped her coffee as she studied Art, who was sitting on a bench and obviously trying hard not to look anywhere near The Spine. She was examining her own coffee as if it was the most interesting thing in the universe, refusing to raise her eyes. Another glance at The Spine, and Leo was sure there was some kind of story to hear about later, as he and Rabbit conferred silently over what she assumed was their own personal WiFi link and Rabbit tried to stifle her laughter as she glanced quickly at Art.

The silence was getting awkward, so Leo decided to break it. "So, everybody... we need to figure things out here. Security and/or those officers will no doubt come calling soon, so we have to be ready for them."

"I have enough grease and paint to camouflaged them," Art murmured. 

"Maybe they can pose as scrubbers." Vlad's stony face was unreadable, but his voice was slightly taunting.

"That's actually a good idea." Leo noted Vlad's surprise at his being taken seriously. "No one pays attention to them. Most robot ones aren't viewed as people, just tools. We could possibly get away with this excuse if they ask about the registered crew."

Art frowned, still staring at her coffee. "Won't it seem a little coincidental to suddenly have three unregistered scrubbers, when they're looking for three robots?"

"That's why Vlad will join them.”

Vlad made a strange choking noise, drawing all eyes towards him. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You'll pose as a scrubber for as long as it takes for the inspection to take place. It'll seem a little less suspicious if our numbers don't match theirs."

Once again, Vlad was fuming. "You want me t- But I- Dammit Leo, I'm a doctor, not a labourer!"

Leo glanced at him cooly, raising an eyebrow. "I'm aware of this. I'm also aware that you respect your captain enough to cooperate long enough for us all to get off this rock."

He shut his mouth with a snap, having the grace to look chastened. "Yes. Of course. I'm sorry."

"It's ok." Leo smiled, trying to smooth out the tense atmosphere. "I understand. This is an unexpected situation. I didn't even give you any warning." She cleared her throat and glanced around the room. "Ok, guys. Let's get our 'scrubbers' ready. We should at least have some kind of dress rehearsal."

There were nods of agreement around the galley, and the robots started to file out, Art following behind. Leo turned around and drew her arms around Dias. "Hey, you. Thanks for the coffee. And your patience."

"You know I am happy to cooperate in any way possible."

"I do." She sighed against his chest. "'I also know that I probably haven't been very fair to you lately, and that our conflict is probably caused by cultural differences. We should probably discuss that later, ok?"

"As you wish." Dias gave her a loose, four-armed hug. "I'm glad you're no longer upset with me."

"I was being stupid. I'll explain it when I can. But first I need something to eat. Do we have any more of those pink eggs?"

"Bottom left in the fridge."

"Cool." She gave him one last squeeze and pulled away, heading for the fridge. "Would you like scrambled or fried?"

******

It was approaching afternoon when Leo actually thought to ask a rather important question. "Rabbit, why are the space police after you?"

"Ahh, now that's a g-good story." The copper-and-porcelain bot peered into the mirror, rubbing at the grease smudges on her faceplate. "One full of d-d-daring intruige and illegal activities. You sure you're r-r-ready for this?"

"Only always."

"Ok." Rabbit faced Leo, hands on her hips, looking quite roguish and dashing in the crimson coat. "Our f-f-first space concert was on SteamWorld, a predominantly steam-bot p-populated colony ruled by an evil queen. Water was heavily restricted, because the queen w-w-wants complete control over her p-people, so you can imagine how easily a rebellion would've started up. Water-p-pirates became increasingly common. One such pirate and smuggler was a Captain Piper Faraday, whom we m-met after our first perf-f-formance. One thing led to another, and somehow w-we ended up joining a few of her missions."

Leo wasn't oblivious to the change in tone as Rabbit mentioned Captain Faraday. Her voice became a little softer, and her gaze a little far away.

"Those were some of the m-most exciting weeks of my life," Rabbit continued, smiling at the memories. "We helped hundreds of bots to get the w-water and oil they needed. The danger was part of the fun. I even considered a career change. But..." she trailed off, expression becoming troubled. "Eventually we had to stop and m-move on. The show had to c-continue, and we have people w-w-waiting for us back home. So we said our f-farewells and have b-been working our way b-back across the galaxy ever since. And I don't know if it's t-true or not, but I've heard r-r-rumours that Piper might've b-been caught and is f-facing charges of treason. If that's the-the case, we're probably b-being hunted because of our roles in th-the rebellion." 

"Damn..." Leo let out a surprised breath. "That's intense. They can't legally detain you though, right? You're not even part of the empire!"

"I don't know. But whatever they want to do to us, it's not good." Rabbit stepped over and sat down next to her, smiling widely. "That's why we're so grateful for-for your help. It's m-more than w-we w-would've expected from total strangers."

"Well, you know..." Leo nudged her playfully, grinning back. "We couldn't just let our favourite musicians get arrested, could we? I mean, what about new music? I need that new redition of On Top Of The Universe on CD."

Rabbit winked. "Your w-wish is my command, Captain."

Her smiled widened. "Really?"

"We were already p-planning on p-putting it in the new album. So yes, really."

"Oh my gosh..." Leo tried to control her fluttering heart, but the excitement was too much. "You've made my year. New music. I can't believe this."

"Well believe it, babe. As soon as we get back to Earth, we'll go into full p-production mode. But first, we have to survive the journey back."

"Well, now I have more reason to keep you safe."

"Apart from my charming personality and stunning good looks?"

"Yes, you look quite stunning with grease all over your face. Adds to your natural flair."

"Thanks, I thought so too."

"Oh, by the way, rapid subject change. What happened with The Spine and Art? They could barely look at each other all day."

Rabbit giggled, shaking her head. "Oh, that? Apparently she walked in on him getting dressed. He said her face was redder than the galley walls."

Leo started laughing, imagining her friend's face. "Oh, Art..."

"She's so sweet. I really want to fix them up somehow. My brother hasn't had a good fling in ages... but then that's not really his thing, I suppose."

Leo shook her head. "And Art is super sensitive. I don't think a fling would be good idea. But they should hang out more."

"Yes..." Rabbit studied her boots for a moment, lost in thought, then jumped up suddenly. "I want to wash my face. This grease is annoying me."

"Ok..." Leo watched her bounce out of the room, smiling fondly. Once again, she wondered at the strangeness of the situation. If this was some kind of dream, it was one she didn't want to wake up from. She was having way too much fun.

******

Later that night, after much pointless waiting for an inspection that never came, Leo snuggled up next to Dias. Tonight, she was sleeping in his bed, having given hers to Rabbit for both the bot's comfort and her own need to be with her favourite alien. Everyone had found places to sleep by now, and the ship was quiet, only the environmental controls filling the silence with low humming.

"So..." she started, comfortable and warm and ready to talk, "about that thing..."

"By that I assume you mean the issue of my not being jealous?"

"Yes, that." She took a deep breath. "I have to assume that it's cultural. When I dated a few guys on Earth, I got in trouble if I even looked at someone else for more than two seconds. Mind you, those boys were immature and controlling and I dropped them pretty quickly when I realised that, but you're not even phased by the amount of flirting I've done with Rab. I can't believe I've never thought about this before, but is it customary in your culture to show interest in someone who isn't your mate?"

Dias was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke, he sounded puzzled. "Not only is it customary, but it is expected for my kind, especially the women, to have more than one mate. A long time ago, it was the males who kept a harem, for the simple purpose of expanding our species. But nowadays, the women hold the monopoly. Monogamy is unusual, but not extinct. I did not expect your species to be so strictly monogamous, but I am willing to adhere to your customs. I will not, however, try to prevent you from forming other attachments."

"That's just it- I don't WANT other attachments. Not all humans are monogamous, but I am, and I don't think I could evenly distribute my attention to more than one person without some kind of confusion." She sat up, feeling for his hands in the dark and clasping them in her own. "Now, I know you don't really care about this, but I would like to clarify. I'm not seeking a relationship with Rabbit. That would be unrealistic and uncomfortable for me, even though I do like her a lot. I am attached to you and you only. Is that acceptable to you?"

"Of course, Leo." She felt movement, and a moment later he pressed a kiss to her forehead. This was not his culture's way of showing affection, she knew, but he knew if was something she liked, and her heart warmed in response. "You chose me, and I chose you. Of course it is acceptable to me."

"I love you." Her fingers brushed over his face blindly until they found his mouth, she pressed her lips to his. She felt his ears flutter, a nervous response she knew to mean that he was enjoying the romantic attention. In a spur of the moment thought, she attempted to sound out "my beloved" in his language, but all that earned her was a snort of laughter. "What? What's wrong?"

"If you are trying to say "beloved", it sounds like this." He spoke the words, and even to her untrained ears she could tell the difference.

"What did I say?"

"Something like, 'my food is cooking'. But the tone was seductive, so it could also mean 'my food is attractive'."

She couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled out of her chest. "That definitely sounds like a phrase I'd use anyway."

"Yes, it does." She felt him wrap his arms around her holding her close. "Be assured, my dear, that I love you also. You are a source of constant amusement."

"I feel like I should be slightly offended, but I can't think why at this moment." She yawned and let him pull her back down, pulling the blankets over them and snuggling closer. "Maybe I'll tell you in the morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy flip this took too long.
> 
> Also, I know virtually nothing about SteamWorld Heist, so this can be AU if it doesn't agree with game canon.
> 
> I love these idiots.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sort of filler while I figure out where I'm going with this. Basically the middle of last chapter in Art's POV.

  
She knew it was silly to suddenly feel lonely in the empty room she had always slept in, but under the circumstances, Art felt she was allowed a little emotional instability. The band was scattered among them- The Spine with Dias, Hatchworth with Vlad, and Rabbit... with Leo. While Art knew in her heart that Leo would never do something stupid, she was still a little iffy about her friend's celebrity crush sleeping in the same room as her. Were they sleeping in the same bed? Would they talk and flirt all night? Were they sharing clothes? Did Rabbit need to change, and would Leo-

She stopped, scowling in the dark as she tried to get comfortable. These things were none of her business, and she'd probably find out eventually anyway, since Leo had a tendency to overshare when she was excited. As much as she tried to ignore it, Art realised that the root of her questions was jealousy. Of course the robots were staying in the most practical places- their respective roommates had similar clothing sizes, and would be able to lend them disguises. But logic and emotion had never quite reconciled in Art's mind. She was the only one without a robot staying with her, so of course she would feel a little jealous.

Not only that, but The Spine and Dias were only down the corridor a few metres. Never in her life would she have thought that the silver automaton would be sleeping- recharging?- so nearby to her. The thought made her nervous. If she spoke, he only had to turn up his audio-receptors to hear her. Not that she was going to talk to herself this late at night, but still...

It took much tossing and turning before Art was able to drift off to sleep.

******

Morning came too quickly, and the anxious buzz that had started last night kicked in as soon as she was conscious. She clutched the covers to her chest, counting the bolts on the ceiling in an effort to calm herself. It's okay, she told herself. The robots are extremely nice and will not think less of you if you do something silly. Breathe.

She breathed.

Eventually, hunger forced her out of her warm cocoon. She rolled out of bed and padded into the bathroom to take care of business, and to psyche herself up for the day ahead. Her reflection in the mirror did not instill her with much confidence, but at least some of that could be fixed with a little alien cosmetic. She picked up a small silver tube and painstakingly squeezed the last of the gritty paste onto her finger, which she then rubbed into her face. Highly endorsed by Dias and blissfully human-friendly, the product did wonders for improving the skin after so long in an artificial environment. Art's skin didn't do very well under harsh lights and recycled air, and Dias was happy to lend her whatever she needed from his own supply of cosmetics. 

It seemed she would need to restock, now. Sighing in contentment as she felt her skin tightening and moisturising at the same time, she hurriedly dressed in her usual overalls and tank top, combed her short teal locks, and headed outside to rap on Dias's door. "Hey man, are you up?"

After a few seconds, the door slid open, and Dias smiled kindly at her. "Good morning, Art."

"Morning. I was just wondering if you had any more skin stuff I could use." She held up the empty tube. "I'm out."

"Ah, yes. Come in." 

She followed him to his own bathroom, waiting in the doorway as he rifled through a cupboard. "I don't know if I have opened a new package yet. You might find one in the chest near my bed."

"Ok." Unlike hers, his quarters were slightly larger and included a living room, the bedroom being sectioned off in a space of its own. She stopped in the doorway as she realised someone else was inside. Someone silver... and shirtless.

The Spine paused, only halfway dressed as he was trying on the clothes Dias had lent him. He stared at the short human girl who was frozen in the doorway, unsure of how to proceed. His modesty protocols were urging him to continue dressing, while his courtesy program wanted him to greet the new guest. His own personal embarrassment at being caught half-naked made it difficult to decide what to do.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, and Art couldn't stop her eyes from wandering over the robot's sleek design. Interlocking parts simulated muscles as they looked under the skin, and his core glowed in his chest, humming faintly. She had a strange urge to touch it.

Flushing, her eyes snapped up to meet his, and she forced herself to breathe again. "Ch-chest!" she squeaked, then cleared her throat. "I'm, ahh, looking for the chest. With stuff in it. I need. Um..."

"Oh." He glanced around, nodding at a wooden chest pushed against the wall. "That?"

"Yes." She wrenched her eyes away from him and crossed the room, focusing on what she was looking for. Rummaging in the box, she found the package and backed away, avoiding his gaze. "Th-thanks. Sorry. Er, goodbye."

"No... problem." He watched her slip out of the room before he could finish, then looked back at the shirt in his hands. Strangely, he still felt embarrassed, as if he had been caught doing something silly instead of just dressing himself. Weird. He shook his head and pulled the shirt on, wondering if he should bring it up with Rabbit. She always seemed to have some kind of insight into these things...

******

Art bumped into Dias, who had been watching from the bathroom, but didn't register the purple alien until he cleared his throat. 

"Did you want help opening that?"

She relinquished the package she had been clutching tightly to her chest, cheeks still warm. "You should've warned me."

He cocked his head, easily ripping the package open. "Why?"

"Because-" she stopped, realising he probably wouldn't understand the dynamics involved. Did his species get flustered when confronted with their crush wearing minimal clothing? "No reason. Don't worry about it." She took the new tube offered to her and smiled weakly at him. "Thanks. See you later."

Dias watched her go, a smile spreading across his features. In truth, he had forgotten about the robot, but her reaction was not surprising. He had spent enough time with his human girlfriend to understand how emotions worked. He shook his head, stepping over to rap on the doorframe. "The Spine? Are you decent?"

******

Coffee. She needed coffee.

Art brought out enough mugs for everyone and made herself a coffee, sighing as the heat of the cup bit into her hands. She needed something to distract her mind from seeing The Spine's naked chest. She almost laughed from the absurdity of it all. How had this become her life?

She stared at her drink, a slow grin starting. Why distract herself? It wasn't like she hadn't wondered (and fantasized) about what he looked like under his clothes before. Now she knew, and she could think about it as much as she wanted. She hadn't been disappointed, either- Peter Walter had really had an eye for detail...  
She didn't hear the approaching footsteps, and so didn't expect the voice that followed. "Morning, Art."

She jumped and yelped as the coffee spilled onto the bench and her hand. "Fricking hell, Vlad!"

He quickly grabbed the cloth from the sink, grabbed her arm and started dabbing at the spill, examining her hand. "Are you burned? Where does it hurt? It looks a little red here- would you like a dermal regenerator?"

She laughed, extracting her hand from his grip, and took the cloth off him to wipe the bench down. "No, I'd like you to stop scaring me like that. But thank you."

"Human. I would like to refill my water tank." Hatchworth stood politely in the doorway, hands clasped in front of him, wearing a black turtleneck sweater that was a far cry from his usual outfit. Art stared for a moment, then snapped to attention and brought him a large mug of water, eyes widening. "Woah."

Vlad nudged her. "What, never seen a robot in casual clothes before?"

"Well, I've never seen Hatchworth in casual clothes before. He looks good." She smiled and addressed the mustachioed bot. "You look good in that sweater."

"Ah, thank you, human friend. Your compliment is much appreciated, as is the water. May I have more?"

"Of course."

By the time he was satisfied, Vlad had made her another coffee to compensate for scaring her, and she could hear the others approaching. She eased herself into the bench next to the mugs and sipped her drink as Dias and The Spine walked in. Greetings and salutations were exchanged, and The Spine found the water and started refilling his own tank while Dias started making coffees. Art studiously avoided looking at The Spine, heat already spreading across her cheeks again, but she could still see him in the corner of her eye. The extra arm-holes in his shirt afforded a nice view of his torso. Oops, now she was looking. And so was he. At her. She glanced up to meet his vivid green eyes, then looked away, blushing furiously.

By the time Leo and Rabbit finally arrived, she was ready to die of shame.

******

They had a plan. After Leo, Art, and Dias had eaten, they got started on the dress rehearsal. Art now had the fun job of painting the robots with grease to make them look dirty and overworked, while Dias located the Walter ship and sent it a message. The band had assured them that QUERTY and Beebop were fully capable of looking after the ship, so if all went well, it would never be found. Now, while Leo and Rabbit looked for an outfit that they didn't mind getting grease on, and Vlad stocked the supplies that had brought in the day before, Art found herself chatting nonsense with Hatchworth while she painted his face. His unique design disappeared under a layer of grime, and she found out that his mustache was removable. Rag and brush in hand, he looked like an unidentifiable engine cleaner.

"Perfect." Art nodded in satisfaction. 

Hatchworth beamed. "Of course it is. I am, after all, a master of disguises."

The Spine sighed, a high, mechanical sound, and shook his head at his brother. "You put a mustache over your mustache when you sneak out of the manor."

"Yes. Like I said. Master of disguise."

Art giggled and patted his shoulder. "I think you are definitely the master of disguise."

Hatchworth stood a little taller, almost preening as he nodded at his brother. "Thank you, friendo."

The Spine took his place in front of Art as Hatchy sauntered off, probably to revel in his wonderful disguising ability. "Would you like me to sit?"

She glanced up at him, suddenly embarrassed again. "Uh, um, yeah. If you like."

He pulled over a a crate and sat down, hydraulics hissing. Now he was looking up at her, almost level, and she was captivated by the bold lines of his face. Without thinking, she brushed a hand over his cheek, feeling the sharp angles of the joined plates. He blinked, surprised at the action, and she tore her hand away as if he had bitten her, mortified. "Y-you had something on y-your face."

He only nodded, stilling holding her gaze, and his expression was unreadable. What must he think of her?  
She set her jaw, trying to will away the flush that seem to have permanently settled in her cheeks. She had a job to do, she couldn't get carried away now.

They were both silent as Art rubbed black grease into his face, smudging it so the highly-identifiable lines of his design were masked. She tried to avoid his gaze, chest fluttering every time she accidentally locked eyes with him. At some point, her unoccupied hand settled on his shoulder for stability, and she distantly noted that he was warm under her hand.

His tank top showed a lot more 'skin' than his usual getup, and she stood back, wondering how much of him she should cover. "Are you going to wear that shirt for the inspection? It's just that your chest is showing, and your core might give you away."

"Oh, yeah..." He looked down at himself, chuckling uneasily. "I'll find something else. I, ah, got dressed in a hurry this morning."

And there was that flutter again. She bit her lip, looking at the floor. "About that. I'm sorry for walking in on you. I hope you weren't too embarrassed."

He shook his head. "Don't beat yourself up over it, Miss Art. There's nothing for either of us to be embarrassed about."

"Ha, yeah, I guess it's not like I haven't seen a hot guy before-" 

The words were out before she could stop them, and she froze, wanting to curl into a ball and be ejected into space. She just couldn't get a break today, could she?  
The Spine grinned unexpectedly. "You are too kind. Thank you."

She grinned back in spite of her mortification, and dabbed a few splotches of grease on his chest. "I have to say, the dirt is an improvement."

His eyes widened comically. "Is that even possible?"

"I didn't think so, but here you are..." Was she flirting? Actually flirting with The Spine? What is life?!

"And what is real?" sang a familiar voice from behind her.

Oops... had she said that last bit out loud?

"And why do living things need feelings..." Leo continued, following Rabbit into the room. "Oh, Spine, you look like you've been making out with the engine."

Art choked on air, aghast. “Leo. Do you ever think about things before you say them- What am I saying, I know you; of course you don’t.”

Rabbit was laughing, almost bent double, and The Spine started to chuckle too. "I'm sure your engine is very beautiful, but I'd rather buy her dinner first." He stood up, gesturing for his sister to take his place. "Your turn, Rabbit. Thanks for the paint job, Miss Art."

"You're welcome..." She watched him leave, getting one last glimpse of silver before she turned to the robot girl, who was wiggling her eyebrows (how?!?!) and smirking infuriatingly. "Not a word."

"You're too easy to tease." Rabbit presented her face, closing her eyes. "Go on, darling. Make me gloriously dirty."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was supposed to be longer, but my brain froze. Hopefully we'll get back to our regularly scheduled plot soon.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh look, an update! I still do those!
> 
> An underwhelming expected event, a celebration, and finally an explanation.

Leo was awoken by a hand shaking her shoulder and the incessant chiming of the hailing bell. It took her a moment to realise what the sound actually was, and she sat up with a gasp and just about threw herself out of bed. Dias was already dressed and disappearing out the door, calling that he'd get everyone else organised while she let them in. 

Today was the day, then. Adrenaline pumping, Leo drew her coat on over her pajamas and tied her hair back, not bothering with shoes. She had to stall them somehow, while the bots disguised themselves. A technical difficulty might do it.

She ran through the ship to the Bridge, where she finally answered the chime and brought their visitors up on the viewscreen.

Time to rustle up her acting chops again. "Hi, hello, I'm here. Sorry for the wait. What can I do for you?"

The officers scowled as they stared at the camera eye. "We're conducting a search for a trio of robot fugitives. You are required to open your ship for boarding."

"By whose authority?"

"The SteamWorld Imperial Force, in coordination with the Central Hub Security. All ships are obligated to comply. If you resist, you will be charged with obstruction of justice and tried accordingly."

Leo mouthed the words mockingly back at them, then plastered on a fake smile. "I can assure you we have nothing to do with any of that, but I'll let you in. If the door mechanisms decide to work, that is." She reached over and pulled the lever that opened the doors, then forced it back before they could lower very far. She did this a few more times, giggling at the irritation of the officers who wanted to board. "Sorry, gentlemen. The whole ship is falling apart and my engineer is trying her best. The door is stuck, but if you'll wait a few moments I'm sure I can figure it out."

It was at least 5 minutes of playing and apologising before she decided to let them in. Finally lowering the boarding ramp for good, she quickly met them in the entrance and saluted. "Captain Leo, at your service. Welcome aboard the Bob."

"Greetings, Captain. We will now commence our search. Please accompany us."

Leo got the feeling that she didn't have a choice. "Yessir. Where would you like to start?"

******

The boarding party was thorough. They entered every room, peered under every bench and table, looked inside every cupboard and box large enough to conceal a human-shaped robot. Leo trailed behind them, answering any questions. When they eventually made their way to the engine room, Leo said a little prayer to every deity she had ever heard of and followed them inside.

The bots were working hard, just as they had rehearsed. Rabbit and Hatchworth had brushes and rags and were busy cleaning the power core, both of them hairless and smudged beyond recognition. Vlad was unpacking their traded dilithium crystals and scanning them for impurities. The Spine and Art were just packing away the last of their inventory, and Leo hoped that their visitors hadn't noticed the shy smile Art gave the automaton as he took the container from her to place on the high shelf.

"Your registered crew are four, and yet you have 6 present?"

Leo blinked innocently. "We only have 4 crewmen. The others don't count. In fact the one artificial that we did register only counts because it also occupies an essential position."

The head of the boarding party narrowed their eyes at her. "Explain."

She gestured to Vlad and the guests. "That one is our chief medical officer. The other registered crewman is our pilot, who is elsewhere. Our scrubbers were packed away until needed, and I didn't think it was necessary to register slaves at all, let alone out-of-commission ones."

They shook their head. "I am not going to debate the legal rights of slaves or artificial life forms. But you will receive a fine for under-reporting your ship's compliment."

She bowed her head respectfully. "I accept the consequences of my mistake. It will not happen again."

"I should hope not." 

Art, until then unnoticed, straightened herself out and approached the party. "Storage is complete, Captain. Do you require Unit 3 for anything else, or may I return him to stasis?"

Leo hadn't had time to agree to all parts of the plan, but she guessed that 'Unit 3' referred to The Spine. She shook her head. "It can join the others and finish the power core." She took a deep breath and smiled at the officers. "Do you require anything else from my ship or crew, sir?"

The superior officer scrutinized the working robots, then Leo's face. She was extremely glad that telepaths were not common in this part of the galaxy, because while she was able to keep an innocent expression, her mind was a different story. But after a few moments, they pulled out a flyer, gave it to her, and turned on their heel. "We have seen all we needed. Expect your fine by the end of the light cycle."

As the officers trailed out behind them, Leo let out a breath of relief. She waited until the she heard the loading door close behind them before speaking. 

"Good job, everyone. I think we're clear." She glanced down at the flyer and frowned. "And it seems you didn't need disguising after all, Rabbit. The flyer shows a different face-plate."

"I didn't think of that." She rubbed at the grease smudged over porcelain with a grin. "But this is all part of the experience, ya know?"

"The experience of being fugitives and hiding from the law?" Vlad scoffed and straightened up. "The experience of using your fans and threatening their freedom along with yours? Is that what you mean?"

"Vlad!" Leo stepped towards him, arms crossed, fuming. "What is wrong with you?"

He matched her gesture, greasy smudges making him look strange and terrifying. "Even if you're in love with them, surely you can see that they're just using you for their own selfish needs. I can't just sit and watch my crew be-"

"Your crew?" Leo held up a hand to shush him as he tried to speak again. "No, sorry, excuse me, my turn. Captain talking now. You know, the person you agreed to serve under when I took you on? I didn't want to pull rank on you because we're friends, but you leave me no choice." She approached him and stood eye-to-eye, making sure he held her gaze before she spoke again. "You are not in charge. I am. I am capable of making sensible decisions, and I cannot let you insult my guests. Please go back to your quarters, cool down and clean up, and join us later for dinner when you are ready to be civil."

He held her gaze for a moment, before lowering his eyes and stalking out. Leo watched him go, troubled and irritated. With a sigh and a quirked eyebrow, she turned back to the rest of the group. "Kids, huh? Never thought I'd have be a parent this early."

*****

They found Dias, who had been conspicuously missing during the entire inspection, carrying an armful of the robots' clothes to Leo's room. He had helped them get ready and then scoured the ship for anything suspicious, stashing everything in hidden spots all over the ship. Leo hugged him and asked him to go shopping for dinner, deciding to send Art with him to give her a break from being around her crush. Art agreed, if begrudgingly.

After the band cleaned and redressed themselves in their original attire, they contacted their ship with updates, and helped Leo organise the last of the inventory. They were nearly ready to leave the Belt, and Leo felt a pang of sadness at the thought of moving on from a place she had found so many unexpected friends.

After much deliberation, the band had also decided to move on, the final leg of their return journey to earth in sight.

"We will, however, be doing one last performance at the bar before we leave," The Spine informed Leo while they relaxed in the kitchen. 

She nodded and handed him the glass of water she had just refilled. "Tonight might be cutting it a little close. Tomorrow might be better."

"You just wanna keep us around for longer," Rabbit teased.

She winked at the bot and shrugged nonchalantly. "Do you blame me? We've had so much fun!"

"We have," agreed Hatchworth, raising his water glass. "This has been an enlightening experience."

"It sure has." Leo glanced at everyone, a warm feeling settling in her chest. "We're hoping to have a proper dinner tonight, to kinda commemorate this, I guess. You guys can eat, right?"

"We can, as long as we clean ourselves out directly after." The Spine quirked an eyebrow at his sister. "Right, Rabbit?"

Rabbit shrugged. "Yep. Absolutely. Not like I've ever forgotten that... no way."

Hatchy sidled up to Leo, whispering conspiratorially even though everyone could still hear him. "One word... Moonpies."

"Ahh..." Leo grinned at Rabbit. "I'll remind you, babe. Don't wanna clog everything up before the show tomorrow, right?"

"Of course, I could purposely forget so that you could help clean me out yourself..." she waggled her eyebrows. "I mean, it's not like you haven't been dying to get your hands inside-"

"Dude!" Leo punched her shoulder, cheeks burning. "Not in front of the Klingons!"

Hatchy cocked his head. "Klingons?"

"Pop Culture reference," The Spine told him.

Rabbit raised her hands, feigning innocence. "Hey, I was just suggesting you help with my maintenance, get your head out of the gutter!"

"Oh, sure..."

The Spine cleared his throat, looking both amused and embarrassed. "So, ah, when should we gather for dinner tonight?"

"Oh, right. Well, if the others are back before sundown..."

*****

They were indeed back just before 'sundown', and Dias, Art and Leo got straight to work on dinner. They had brought back a few organic vegetables as well as various different flavoured ration-biscuits, and a cold concoction that could've passed for ice cream if it didn't taste vaguely of tomato and beef. Dias had also visited the robot bar to check up on everyone, and came back with a few bottles of human/robot-friendly alcohol.

"You mean this stuff will affect the bots too?" Leo grinned. "This'll be fun..."

"Maybe we should give some to Vlad, get him to loosen up," offered Art, who was vigorously chopping vegetables in reckless abandon while The Spine watched anxiously, expecting her to lose a finger at any minute.

Leo snorted, annoyance tainting her contentment for a moment. "Like we need a drunk Vlad on our hands. He'd probably be worse."

"Maybe..." Art threw everything into the pot they were cooking in and spun around, brushing off her hands. "Anyway, more for us I guess."

"You got it." Leo forced back her annoyance and grinned at everyone from the stove. "So who's ready to party it up?"

*****

It was times like these that Leo would look back on if she needed reminding that the universe was awesome. Surrounded by food and friends in space, getting progressively drunker and singing at the top of her lungs. The alcohol really did work on both humans and automatons alike, and Leo didn't want to think about the long term effects; although Dias seemed to get the short straw- of all beverages that affected him somehow, alcohol was not one of them, and they didn't have any soda on hand to substitute. Still, he was content to watch the fun, and sometimes join in the singing if he knew the words. 

Leo and Art, on the other hand, were happily tipsy and knew every word to every song the band had ever produced. The automatons would lead with whatever song they picked in that moment, and the girls would join in and try to give them a run for their money. They would finish, breathless and giggling, and beg for 'just one more song'. While The Spine tried to stay stoic in the face of this rare occurrence of inebriation, Hatchworth and Rabbit had no qualms in egging him on, and a lot of the time he managed to match their exhuberance.

It was getting extremely late when Rabbit started singing 'Turn Back The Clock' in her most mournful tones, causing Leo to burst into tears and cling to Dias, unable to sing along. Art reached for the last bottle only to find it empty, and peered blearily around the table, wondering why it felt like someone was missing. 

Oh wait. They were. Hadn't Leo sent Vlad to his room like a rebellious teenager before?

She was struck with the sudden urge to make sure he was ok. Reaching silently across the table, she slid The Spine's partly-eaten plate of food away and grabbed Dias's half-full glass, nodded her thanks to both parties before tiptoeing out of the room. Despite her attempts at subtlety, everyone saw her go, but no one was willing to interrupt the song, and she was able to make her way unsteadily to Vlad's quarters without incident.

Her kick at the door was met with an irritated "Go away!", but she was too determined- and drunk- to just leave.

"Dude! Bro! Sweetheart!" She giggled and kicked the door again. "I come bearing food and drink! Open the goddamn door, you sulky baby!"

The door slid open, and Vlad regarded her coldly. "You're drunk."

"Is that your official opinion as my doctor?" She pushed past him and sat herself down on the floor without spilling anything. Beckoning him over with her head, she set the plate and glass in front of her and beamed up at him. "Dinner is served, good sir."

"I don't want it."

"Wow, you're a bigger baby than I thought."

He crossed him arms, still standing by the door. "How so?"

"Refusing to come out of your room because it means apologizing? Refusing to join us for dinner or even eat what I brought you? Sulking in your room because you got chastised? I don't know where you learned your concept of masculinity from, but it sucks." She held up a thumb. "My respect for you..." She turned her thumb and pressed it into the floor. "...is going blah."

He gazed at her a moment longer, then sighed loudly and walked over to join her on the floor. "This is nothing to do with masculinity. That's an outdated earth concept."

"And yet here you are still."

"Embarrassment is different from pride."

She cocked her head, mimicking his voice. "How so?"

He seemed to deliberate whether to answer her, but after a few seconds he let his shoulders droop as he stared down at his food. "I'm... ashamed. Ashamed of disrespecting my captain and friend, and judging the others too harshly. And I'll admit my pride was hurt when she chastised me and sent me to my room, but that's not why I'm still here."

"Ok..." Art blinked through alcohol-weary eyes, determined to be a good friend for once. She took his hand and squeezed it, unhindered by her usual reserve. "Go on, I'm listening."

He stared at their hands, an unidentifiable expression crossing his face-plates, but he after a moment he continued quietly. "I don't know how to accurately apologize. I'm afraid of losing my good standing in her eyes. Of not being good enough."

"You ARE good enough though. What makes you think you're not?"

His voice was lowering, making it harder to hear him, and Art was forced to lean towards him. "My behavior is hardly appropriate for my position under Leo. I am far too stubborn and outspoken to last on this ship, especially as a simple doctor who is not supposed to challenge the authority I'm under. I'm afraid of losing her good opinion of me and having to leave."

Art took a minute to process his words, latching onto his last sentence. "Leave? What? She's not going to throw you off the ship because you got a bit mouthy! She's not like that." She paused, glancing at the untouched glass, and took a swig out of it before he could stop her. "Where was I? Oh, right. You're just being protective, right? That's your job. You just did it the wrong way. Believe me, I know- it was hard to get used to my best friend having authority over me, but one of us had to do it and I sure didn't want the job. It's not a big deal though." She reached for the glass again, and he blocked her hand, frowning.

"I think you've had enough."

"You drink it then, I brought it for you."

He sighed again and gulped down the rest. "Happy?"

"Ecstatic." She rolled her eyes and reached over to pick at the plate of food. "Anyway, it's not just tonight, right? You've been weird about the band since we met them. What's up with that?"

"I... don't know what you mean." 

The way he was avoiding her eyes told otherwise, and she playfully flicked a piece of ration-biscuit at him. "Liar. You've been a complete turd, especially to The Spine. It's like how a kid reacts to their parents having a baby, except this isn't a baby, it's a group of people we've liked for a long time." She paused her rambling and gasped, suddenly understanding. "Wait, that's what it is! You're insecure, aren't you?"

He seemed to shrink away from her enthusiasm, eyes fixed on the floor. "I don't really know how to talk about this..."

"Are you afraid that we care about them more than you? That your spot is gonna be taken by someone else? But why would you think that? We've never given you a reason to think we don't care about you as much as everyone else-"

"It's just..." He paused and waited for her to realised that he was talking again. "This is a sensitive subject for me, so just listen, alright?"

She nodded, gaze fixed on him.

He took a deep (and unnecessary) breath. "Logically, I know that I'm not being replaced. But it's happened before, and I can't help but worry when you constantly talk about these other robots that you love so much. I guess I am a little insecure. Sorry."

"Don't apologize!" She patted his hand and smiled encouragingly. "What happened last time?"

"Oh, uh, just... the person who made me was eager to sell me so they could work on the next project. And the person who bought me kind of traded me in when a newer model came out. It happened quite a bit and it was pretty normal for them, I guess, but..." He looked away, a little embarrassed. "Leo brought me onboard and everyone treated me like a person, and there were no 'latest models' to worry about, and I guess the band felt like competition. That's all."

"Vladmir." There was a seriousness in her voice that had his immediate attention. "You can tell if someone's lying through their heartbeat, right?"

"Right...?"

She took his hand, and to his shock, pressed it to her neck. "Can you feel my pulse?"

He felt around under her jaw. "Uh, yeah, but I can feel it just as well on your wrist-"

She waved a hand dismissively. "I can never find it there. Now, do you have it? I'm going to tell you something."

"I have it."

She drew herself up so she was at eye level with him. "Listen up, doc. We are never ever going to trade you in. Or lose interest. Or let outsiders become more important than a member of our crew, especially someone as important as you. Because we're not just crew, we're friends, and friends don't trade friends for newer models, or models who can sing and dance. Ok?"

Her gaze was rigid and serious, and he didn't think he could look away even if he tried. "Ok."

"Great. Now bring it in." She spread her arms and leaned forward.

"What? What are you doing?"

"I'm hugging you, dummy."

He let her clumsily throw her arms around him, and tried to imitate her actions. It was warm, and nice, and he felt strangely overwhelmed. "Why?"

"Because you need it."

Her voice was muffled on his shoulder, and he let himself smile a little and push away the weirdness of the last few days in favour of hugging his friend, and feeling a little bit like the universe was ok again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. How can it take me so long to churn this rubbish out?
> 
> Anyway, there's only a few chapters left, and a lot of fun times to be had. Watch this space.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Feedback is appreciated!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is spectacularly late and also spectacularly filler. It was actually meant to be the second-last chapter but who has two thumbs and wafles when the story should be flowing?
> 
> This girl.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy hangovers and flirting.

The world was pain when Leo awoke, but the arms that held her close were comforting and warm, and she curled up closer to their owner with a sigh. There was a murmur behind her, an undecipherable language whispered into her hair, and she smiled despite her aching head and, strangely, right shoulder. Ever so carefully, she shifted and twisted until she was facing her partner, her mechanical arm feeling heavy and cumbersome, while his arms still clung to her sides. 

She cracked her eyes open, not wanting to take in too much light, and gazed upon the colourful alien, trying to piece together the events of the night before. She remembered crying, and Art leaving with food and drink, and Hatchy bringing out another bottle of wine that he had stored in his hatch for a while. Everything after that was a blur, and she just hoped that she hadn't made too much of a fool of herself. Thank the stars for aliens who didn't get drunk, otherwise she probably wouldn't have made it to bed. With the right person, anyway. With this thought, she buried her face in Dias's chest and slipped back into unconsciousness.

The next time she opened her eyes, the room was lighter and there were careful fingers stroking her face. Dias's face swam into view as her eyes watered and she groaned, her hangover stabbing her behind her eyes and her throat dry and scratchy.

"What do you need?" he whispered, knowing not to speak loud when she was in this state.

"Water," she whispered back, squeezing her eyes closed. "And painkiller. Or maybe ice."

She felt the bed shift as he left and took the comforting heat with him, and she curled up again, hugging her pillow and drifting off again. A moment later she was awoken again by his brushing her hair out of her face, and she struggled to her elbows and took the glass offered. The water felt wonderful against her dry throat, and she opened her eyes and accepted the large, thin tablet that passed for painkiller, collected from a planet in a different quadrant. It dissolved on her tongue and was quickly absorbed, and she felt her headache already beginning to fade. 

She relaxed against Dias, and glanced up with a smile. "Morning. Sorry about last night."

"No need to apologize. Everyone had fun, myself included." He smiled gently back, rubbing two of his hands together. A moment later, he slipped a hand behind her neck, and she shivered as a chill spread down her spine. "I'm regulating the temperature in my limbs. Is this acceptably cold?"

"It's perfect, thanks love." She closed her eyes as his icy hands soothed her sore neck and the back of her head. "Damn, I haven't had a hangover in ages. Do you think the others are ok?"

"Well, last I saw, the automatons were heading to their rooms. Art disappeared during dinner and I haven't seen her since. So I'd say everyone is safe, if Art is where I think she is."

She frowned. "Vlad's?"

He nodded. "She did take food and drink. I'd say she was making sure he didn't miss out."

"She's fine then. He's a doctor, he can take care of her. Better him than us." She shrugged and snuggled into his chest, tracing patterns on his smooth skin. "What happened after Hatchy brought out the wine? I don't really remember much."

He chuckled and drew her closer. "You and Rabbit decided to have a drinking contest. Seeing as it was normal Earth wine, it only affected you. I'm afraid to inform you that she won."

Leo groaned. "Oh god..."

"...after which, she laughed at you and then collapsed herself. Her brothers had to carry her back to their room. Needless to say, the party was over by then."

She giggled, then paused as a wave of nausea rushed through her. "Oh, no..."

"What's wrong?"

She eased herself away and grunted as the feeling rose, throwing herself out of bed and stumbling towards the bathroom. She managed to reach the toilet on time, only to have her metal arm suddenly give way on the bowl, and her chest hit the seat with such force that the wind was knocked out of her. She spent a few minute coughing and retching by turns, during which Dias followed her in and held her hair, rubbing her back as she tried to breathe.

When she was sure that nothing else was going to come up, she slumped to the ground and groaned pitifully. "That... that was not pleasant." She cleared her throat a few times, voice scratchy and mouth tasting sour. "I'm starting to remember why I don't do this any more."

"This is a regular earth habit?" Dias inquired, sitting beside her on the floor.

"Actually, yes. People love to get drunk, apparently. Is that just a human thing?"

"As far as I know, yes?" He started playing with her hair, one hand stroking her head soothingly while the others twirled and braided. "I do not know of any other cultures who deliberately poison themselves for fun. It is a strange concept."

"I guess it is, when you put it like that." Leo shifted, attempting to pull herself up, but instead of grabbing hold of the sink like she wanted it to, her mechanical arm rose halfway and then fell to the ground with a clatter. There was a stab of panic as she grabbed it with her other hand and moved the arm around, trying to get the feeling back, but to no avail. The prosthetic dangled uselessly from her shoulder, now a dead weight.

Dias cringed as Leo swore colourfully and in various languages, but he resisted reprimanding her choice of words, instead choosing to rub her back soothingly. "It is probably a simple problem with a simple solution. Vlad should be able to help you."

"Of course this had to happen when I'm hungover," she grumbled, letting him help her up. "The universe never does anything by halves, does it?"

His only response was a chuckle as he led her back and helped her get ready.

*****

"I really wonder about your sanity, sometimes." Vlad set aside the scanner and sighed, gazing at her tiredly. "You never once thought to check whether it was safe to drink that stuff?"

"Well, I'm not dead, so I'm counting that as a win." Leo shifted on the bio-bed in the small med-bay, massaging the skin around the join of her cybernetic arm. "What actually happened?"

"Just like normal alcohol breaks down brain cells, prompting irrational behaviour, this specific type of alcohol was designed to target cybernetic networks and weaken them. The suspended nanites seek and feed on electrical impulses, particularly involving fine motor and impulse control. It affected your brain because they were suspended in normal alcohol, and the nanites were attracted to the only artificial electronic impulses in your body- the ones controlling your arm. So congratulations- both your brain and your arm are hungover." 

"Betcha that's not a sentence you thought you'd ever say." Leo held out her arm for Vlad to fiddle with, worry creasing her brow. "What about the band? Will they be ok?"

"Of course." He turned away to gather a few tools. "The beverage would not have been on the market if it caused permanent damage. They too will have some sort of hangover, but I can treat them after I'm done with you."

"Thanks, doc." 

There was a long silence, while Vlad worked on her arm with various tools and Leo watched him, wondering if he still resented what she had done the day before. She still felt that she had been within her right to chastise him, but could she have been a little more empathetic? Should she apologize? She didn't want to, but it might raise his respect for her if she presented herself as the mature one. Or he might count it as a victory. She didn't really understand his emotional state very well yet, but maybe it was worth a try...

"So-"

"Look-"

They eyed each other, waiting for the other to speak, until Leo laughed and gestured for him to continue.

"I'm sorry for stepping outside my boundaries." Vlad wasted no time, but he had some trouble meeting her eyes. "I should have raised my concerns in private. I let my own insecurities and over-protectiveness control my actions. I didn't mean to challenge your leadership. Can you forgive me?"

Leo stared at him, impressed by his eloquence and sincerity, before laughing again and grasping his shoulder with her flesh arm. "Of course I forgive you! I don't think either of us were thinking very clearly, and I probably should have chastised you in private, but what's done is done. All's good now, yeah?"

"Yeah." He had visibly relaxed at her words, and a small smile now graced his face-plates. "I didn't really know how to approach you, otherwise I would've apologized earlier. How was the party, other than drinking enough to damage everyone's brain cells?"

"Ok, so you know how Hatchworth has that portal in his chest...?"

*****

Slowly, life returned to the SS Bob. Hangovers were treated, breakfast was eaten, tidying was done, and both the Walter ship and the robot bar were contacted and updated. In turn, they were informed that the SteamWorld Force had moved on to chase the band on new worlds. There was unanimous agreement that it was probably time to move on, and one last show would be quite welcome if the band was up to it. Now with thinking faculties restored, the three automatons decided to go out with a bang. 

After lunch, the group travelled to the Hub, where Leo and Dias split away to find somewhere to print posters. Art and Vlad accompanied Rabbit, The Spine and Hatchworth to the bar to help them set up, as the robots had stayed relatively disguised on the way over and needed some time to redress and refocus. 

They were warmly greeted by artificial lifeforms great and small as they entered the bar, confirming that they were safe and unharmed. After fending off several attempts to buy them rounds of drinks, they went backstage and began to get ready.

Instruments were retrieved and tuned, equipment was tested, costumes were donned, and metal was polished. Art and Vlad went where they were told and helped where they could. At one point, Art felt a strange moment of déjà vu when she accidentally walked in on The Spine dressing AGAIN, but she was surprised to find she was a little less bothered by it than before.

"Oh, wait!" She approached him as he was buttoning his shirt, eye trained on his neck. "I think you have some oil smudged under there."

"Where?" He pulled the shirt away and tried to unsuccessfully examine his own neck.

"Here, let me. I promise I won't be creepy this time." She pulled the ever-present rag out of her pocket and rubbed at the smudge that was just out of his line of sight, trying to ignore just how close she was to him. She was a lot less nervous- maybe she had finally gotten over the worst of her celebrity crush? Still, she was aware of the heat radiating off his silver body and his breathing in the quiet of the room. Was he looking at her? She was certain that she could feel his green gaze piercing through her, but she didn't want to look up and find out. "I mean, it's probably not that important since you're wearing a black shirt and the oil is black but you probably don't want oil on your clothes and you'll have to do this later anyway-" she paused, face heating up with embarrassment, and focused harder on the smudge. It was coming off, slowly but surely. "Sorry. I can be normal sometimes, I promise. I'm nearly done."

"It's ok, Miss Art." He cracked an amused smile. "At least you're not throwing up on me any more."

"One time!" she groaned, but she was smiling despite the horrible memory. "I did that one time. How dare you bring up the worst moment of my life!"

"That's funny, I was sure it was also the best moment of your life, considering you threw up out of excitement at seeing me."

"Are you TRYING to embarrass me? Because it's working." She pulled away, certain that she was blushing despite her efforts to be chill, glancing at the rest of his shoulders and back in case she missed anything (and also just because she could). "Haven't you ever done dumb things in front of cool people?"

"You'd be surprised." He pulled his shirt on again at her confirmation, quirking a brow at her. "I may come across as the handsome, debonair robot gentleman, but I still have trouble in some social situations. Rabbit's always been a little better at that kind of thing."

She smiled a little, handing over his vest. 

"Awkwardness can still be an attractive quality, you know."

"Well, you're proof of that, right?"

A beat, then- "S-Spine!" Art spluttered, the blush that had started to dissipate now returning in full force. "You can't just SAY things like that! I have a lower flirting tolerance than Leo!"

"I'm sorry!" The Spine looked stricken, stepping back a little with his hands up. "I need to stop taking my sister's advice."

"That girl will be the death of me, I swear." Art rubbed at her heated cheeks, cursing how easily it was for her to become flustered. "Look, The Spine, you don't have to flirt with me. I already like you, and I know you don't mean anything serious by it. Leave the stringing along to Rabbit, 'k?"

"I do not string people along!" came the muffled, indignant shout from behind the door, which was then kicked open to reveal an annoyed Rabbit.

The Spine fixed his sister with a glare. "It's impolite to eavesdrop, Rabbit."

The copper bot shrugged. "Impolite, shmimpolite. Nothing interesting was happening anyway. You guys are so mature and boring."

Art tried to hold back her amusement, not wanting to encourage her. "Aw, I'm sorry that we're not fictional characters you can play around with and smoosh together and say 'now kiss'. Now, how ready are you?"

"Hmpf." She readjusted her wig and straightened her skirt, pulling a face. "I need help to tie my bow. And I'm missing a stocking."

"C'mere." Art beckoned her over and ducked around to tie the wide ribbon around the robot's waist. "Leo might have it. We stored your stuff in both bags, and she has one."

"I haven't seen her yet, so I guess I'll do without for now."

"Maybe Hatchy has some spares in his portal or something. There, you're done. Can you stop shipping people and do something useful like finishing the setup?"

Rabbit raised her eyebrows at Art's snappy tone. "My, my. This is how you talk to your celebrity favourites? Outrageous."

"Only those who point their metal noses where they don't belong." Art poked the metal woman with a long-suffering but affectionate grin. "Off with you now."

"Yes ma'am." 

Rabbit flounced out of the room, and Art turned to The Spine. "So... do we understand each other?"

"Perfectly, Miss Art." He held out a hand. "I'm sorry for letting Rabbit convince me to flirt with you. I am quite glad to have you for my friend."

"Likewise, Mr Robot." She took the hand and shook it, smiling up at him.

"I guess I won't be kissing you onstage for drama, as Rabbit suggested."

Art blinked, colouring again, and tried to appear nonchalant. "I don't know, I might permit that if you were so inclined. It's for the audience, after all."

"Right. Well." He stepped back and sheepishly went back to buttoning his vest. "Then I suppose I should finish dressing."

Art backed away and shot him some finger guns, then internally berated herself for the gesture. "I'll let you do that in peace. See you out there."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The concert itself was supposed to be in this chapter but it was taking too long and the one person I'm writing this for was gonna murder me.   
> But! More fun and games and maybe smooches coming next! Sometime in the next millennium!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Woah I'm not dead can anyone believe this xmas miracle.

Leo and Dias finally stepped through the bar doors, heaving mutual sighs of relief. In their wake- from the very outskirts of the industrial sector of the Hub, to the outside wall of the bar- posters fluttered in the artificial evening breeze. It had been a crazy last few hours, and the product of their hard work was already starting to manifest as people started to trickle into the bar behind them, alerted to that night's event by the new posters. 

Leo fluffed up her hair and bounced on her toes, grinning as she surveyed the crowded bar. "Ah, the sound of my people. Innit beautiful?"

Dias raised a brow at the yelling, laughing, clanging people that Leo seemed to resonate with. "Oh yes. Music to my ears."

"Lord have mercy, my boy's using sarcasm!" She nudged him, eyes full of mirth, before turning on her heel. "I'm gonna go check on the others. Make sure they're ready. See you in a few."

He watched her go, mouth quirked in a fond smile, before moving to the bar and getting comfortable.

***

"LEO!!!"

As soon as she stepped backstage, she was accosted by a frantic, howling banshee of a robot, who pulled her into a spin and started wailing about stockings and guitar strings.

"Damn girl, slow down!" Leo placed her hands on Rabbit's face and forced her to stop and look down at her. "Deep breaths. Inside voice. What's wrong?"

Rabbit did as she was asked, and related her woes. "I c-can't find my other s-stocking, and The Spine broke one of his guitar s-strings. Also, Art is being mature and boring."

"Where was your stocking last?"

"I'm not sure, but it might be in your bag."

Leo pulled her messenger bag open and rummaged around, then pulled out a striped stocking with a triumphant grin. "Pity. I was going to keep that as a momento."

"You still might be able to." Rabbit winked and pulled the stocking on right there and then, not worrying about pulling her dress up to secure it. Leo leaned back on the wall, enjoying the view.

"Careful, Rabs. A fiendish human may enjoy admiring that shapely leg."

A dark chuckle, and an unnecessary hip swing, before, "Oh, I know th-they do."

Leo snickered and rolled her eyes. "Ok, ya tease, what's next? Something about a guitar string?"

The robot grabbed her hand and pulled her along, limping as she adjusted her stocking. "Yes. We're looking for a replacement, and everyone is freaking out."

Leo joined the search and eventually ended up shoulder deep in Hatchy's chest, feeling around a portal that apparently opened up in the music room at Walter Manor. With the Spine's detailed instructions, they eventually located spare strings, and the crisis was averted.

It felt like ages before they were finally ready to perform, and the girls ran out and found chairs near the stage as more people trickled into the bar and the band finished tuning their instruments. The three automatons stepped through the curtain as the lights dimmed and a spotlight lit up the stage.

"Femdroids and gentlebots, and everyone betwixt and between... Welcome to the last show by Steam Powered Giraffe."

Amidst both booing and clapping, they led straight into the opener for Clockwork Vaudeville, and to the humans' delight, the audience sang along from the first verse.

"When I was a young boy I went down to the county fair  
Brought myself a nickel, bought a pickle, had change to spare  
Thought I'd spend a cent or two to see what the robots could do..."

***

The night passed from song to song, slow tunes dispersed among fast ones. The audience became a lot more rowdy when songs were played that were written about SteamWorld, and the band even told everyone a story about an illegal mission they had gone on. The mechanicals loved that, especially when Captain Piper was mentioned. Leo noticed the dreamy look that crossed Rabbit's plates once again, at the mention of the dashing lady smuggler, and had to beat back the little flicker of jealousy that rose at the sight. There was no room for that here, she reminded herself. Enjoy the night.

It was easy to lose herself in the singing and clapping of the people around her. Art sang and clapped and laughed beside her, eyes shinning and face flushed, and Leo knew she looked the same. It was a moment she wanted to savour forever.

At some point, they switched from new songs to the classics, and The Spine took centre stage. Art cheered as she recognised the first few notes.

"Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?  
I ask myself that everyday..."

She started to clap along with the slowish beat, motioning for Leo to do the same, and with a roll of her eyes and a long suffering grin, her friend complied. Soon enough, everyone around them had joined in and were trying their best to sing along.

"Me and my baby love Saturday nights,  
Saturday nights!  
With the dancing, and the singing,  
Like the weekends never happened,  
I could be- I should be  
Dancing right now!  
Me and my baby love Saturday nights,  
Saturday nights!"

When the song was winding down, The Spine muttered into his microphone, "Would Miss Art like to join us onstage?"

Art froze, heart in her throat, but Leo was having none of that. She pulled her friend up and pushed her towards the stage, where The Spine was offering a hand-up. Quick as anything, he had pulled her up and was holding her gently around the waist, swaying as Rabbit and Hatchy sung harmony in the background.

"Me... and... my... baby love, love, Saturday..."

"Will you be alright if I spin you?" The Spine murmured to her.

She nodded, grasping his hand firmly, and he spun her out, then back in. Blinded by stage lights and breathless from excitement, Art laughed as his arms closed around her for a second, they swayed, and he spun her out again.

This time he pulled her back in and dipped her low to the floor, holding steady as the others held the last note of the song. As clapping broke out and Art gazed up at the silver automaton, she could feel her heartbeat rocketing in chest as time seemed to slow down. Her words came back to her from before, about not minding if he kissed her onstage, just as he started to lean in just the tiniest bit. He was holding her gaze, hesitating, obviously asking for permission. Her heart was filled with affected for her celebrity crush and she nodded, leaning up.

Their lips met halfway, and suddenly time was moving correctly again. There was cheering and banging on tables as his cool lips pressed against hers for a few seconds, then pulled away too soon. She was pulled to her feet, flushed and smiling, and The Spine led her to the edge and helped her offstage, tipping his hat to her before stepping away to check his instrument.

Someone was hollering in her ear and clapping her on the shoulder, and when she glanced back, Rabbit was doing the same to her brother. Art shook her head and collapsed back in her seat, grinning as Leo raged about not getting the kiss on camera.

It was some time before the audience would quiet down enough for the show to continue, but continue it did. Song after song, with banter sprinkled in-between, until the girls' voices were rough and their feet and hands were sore. Eventually, sometime early in the artificial morning, the band played their last song and bid everyone goodnight. Before leaving the stage, Rabbit quickly pulled off her boot, rolled down her stripy stocking, and threw it towards Leo, who caught it with a delighted cry and tied it in her hair. Then, with a wink and a salute, the robots were gone.

Knowing that they were heading back to their ship and that was the last anyone would see of them, Leo and Art decided to leave. Making their ways to the bar amidst congratulations and greetings from the rest of the bar's patrons, they found Dias and Vlad and headed outside. Leo pulled down a poster from the wall and tucked it in her bag as they passed.

The ride back to the ship was quiet, and the alien and the robot helped their sleepy humans stumble back home and into their quarters. When both girls were safe and sound, Dias sent Vlad away to recharge and wandered up to the Bridge, stopping at the communications console. A few seconds of fiddling, and he had found what he wanted.

"This is Commander Dias Thren of the SS Bob hailing the Walter Ship. I would like to leave a message."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Too short but I needed to get it out before I died and left this on hold forever. One more chapter left <3


End file.
